Author: News Desk

Manama : As part of ongoing government efforts to improve and re-engineer services, the Supreme Council for Environment (SCE) has developed its digital service for undertaking requests related to the import of chemicals or units. The service enables establishments to submit undertaking requests in exceptional cases where chemicals or refrigeration and air-conditioning units are imported without prior approval, on a one-time basis. Applicants are required to provide initial data on the imported materials or units to enable the competent authority to assess them and verify that they contain no prohibited or restricted substances before considering approval for an exceptional release.…

Manama : His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, today chaired the weekly Cabinet Meeting at Gudaibiya Palace. The Cabinet commended the Bahrain Shield joint military exercise, hosted by the Kingdom of Bahrain and attended by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. The exercise follows a practical extension of the efforts of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to strengthen collective security and defence integration within the joint deterrence programmes. The Cabinet also commended the speech delivered by His Majesty the King, the…

Bogota : A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia, causing widespread damage and injuries, with the death toll rising above 20. The earthquake’s epicentre was near San Jose del Palmar in Choco province on Colombia’s Pacific coast, at a depth of 96 kilometres. The quake was felt across large parts of Colombia and in neighbouring countries, including Venezuela. Reports from local authorities indicated deaths and injuries in several affected cities as buildings collapsed and people were trapped under rubble. In Cali, Mayor Alejandro Eder reported that at least 20 structures had collapsed, with people trapped, while Manizales and Pereira also…

Sofia : BRAVE Combat Federation (BRAVE CF) recorded strong viewership figures for BRAVE CF 107, held in Bulgaria. The event attracted significant viewership across Asia, particularly in the Indian market, recording about 3.68 million combined live views across YouTube and BRAVE TV. Content related to the event also generated more than 200.2 million views across social media platforms. Mohammad Shahid, President of BRAVE CF, said the figures reflect the organisation’s growing reach, highlighting the strong engagement of Asian audiences, particularly in India. The event also featured Bahraini fighter Mohamed Alsameea, who secured a unanimous decision victory over Switzerland’s Miran Ramani…

Makkah : The Muslim World League (MWL) welcomed the statement issued by members of the UN Security Council on August 7, condemning attacks carried out by the Houthi militia against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and commercial vessels. In a statement issued by the MWL General Secretariat, Secretary General of the MWL and Chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars, Sheikh Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al Issa, commended the statement’s emphasis on the need to comply with international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions, foremost among them Resolution 2216, and to respect the sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity…

Damascus : A 4.3 magnitude earthquake struck an area about 107 kilometres northwest of Aleppo in the Syrian Arab Republic, according to the National Earthquake Centre. The centre said the earthquake occurred at 3:42 a.m. along the Dead Sea Fault and was felt by residents in parts of northern Syria.

Jakarta : Indonesian authorities seized 1.3 tonnes of ketamine worth an estimated $116.2 million from a foreign flagged vessel near the Riau Islands. An Indonesian warship intercepted the Tanzania flagged vessel after it entered the country’s territorial waters. Authorities found 65 bags containing ketamine hidden on board. Eight crew members, including seven Myanmar nationals and one Taiwanese national, were detained. Authorities are investigating the origin and intended destination of the shipment.

Manama : The National Bureau for Revenue (NBR) announced the development of its service for registering or updating goods data, reducing the processing time from 30 working days to seven. The service allows producers and importers subject to the relevant requirements to register new products or update data for existing products through the NBR’s online portal. Rana Ibrahim Faqihi, Chief Executive Officer of the NBR, said the redesigned service simplifies review and approval procedures, enabling faster processing and easier compliance with regulatory requirements. The development forms part of wider government efforts to improve and redesign services. More than 1,300 government…

Beijing : Authorities in eastern China closed schools and a number of tourist sites as Typhoon Dolphin approached land, amid warnings of heavy rain and strong winds that could cause floods and landslides. The typhoon’s maximum wind speed is about 162 kilometres per hour, while it is expected to hit Zhejiang and northern Fujian on Sunday evening. Shanghai is also in the storm’s path. National authorities activated a Level-III emergency response, the second-lowest level, and also closed a number of tourist destinations in Zhejiang and suspended water activities, including ferries and cruises. In Ningbo, one of Zhejiang’s largest cities, authorities…

Manama : Major General Shaikh Abdulrahman bin Abdulwahab Al Khalifa, Director General of the General Directorate of Traffic, affirmed that infrastructure development and road network expansion projects, which are based on the royal directives and followed up by the government, along with enhancing the traffic system with smart systems and cameras, have a positive impact on traffic safety, reducing traffic violations and accidents, and protecting lives and property. The Director General of the General Directorate of Traffic explained that, with the support of the Interior Minister, the Directorate has completed the first phase of the smart system cameras as part…