Author: News Desk

ABU DHABI : The Sheikh Zayed Book Award (SZBA) at the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) has announced the longlists for the Translation, Contribution to the Development of Nations and Literary and Art Criticism categories for its 19th edition, selected by the award’s judging panels and currently under evaluation. The longlist for the Translation category includes 19 titles from 12 countries: Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Mali, Syria, Morocco, Algeria, Iraq, Egypt, Palestine, and Saudi Arabia. The books were translated from and into Arabic across four languages – German, English, Spanish, and French. The longlist for the Literary and Art…

Canada : Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government has been thrown into fresh disarray with the abrupt departure of his finance minister, Chrystia Freeland. In her scathing resignation letter – published on the day she was due to deliver an economic statement – Freeland cited disagreements with her long-time ally on how to respond to the threat of tariffs from Donald Trump. The US president-elect, who will return to the White House in January, has vowed to impose a levy of 25% on imported Canadian goods unless the shared border is made more secure. Trump himself later responded to Freeland,…

US : US President-elect Donald Trump met the CEO of TikTok on Monday, as the social media giant fights plans by US authorities to ban it. Trump met Shou Zi Chew at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Monday. A law passed earlier this year means TikTok will be banned unless it is sold by its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, before 19 January. The company has made an emergency application to the US Supreme Court to have the ban delayed. The US wants TikTok sold or banned because of alleged links between ByteDance and the Chinese state, links that both…

North Korea : North Korean troops have been killed fighting Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk border region, the US has said. These would be the first reported casualties since it emerged in October that North Korea had sent around 10,000 troops to reinforce Russia’s war effort. Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, the GUR, has also said at least 30 North Korean troops had been killed or wounded in fighting over the weekend.

Manama : The entrances of Moscow’s major airports, including Domodedovo International Airport and Vnukovo International Airport, along with streets across the Russian Federation, were decorated with Bahrain’s flags in celebration of the Kingdom’s National Days and the 25th Accession Anniversary of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to the Throne.   This reflects the strong cooperation between Bahrain and the Russian Federation, which continue to thrive across various sectors. The celebration also coincides with the continued operation of Bahrain’s national carrier, Gulf Air, which has been running daily direct flights to Moscow for over 11 years.

Manama : In line with the directives of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and under the follow-up of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the successful evacuation of the first group of Bahraini citizens from Syria, ensuring their safe return to Bahrain. The evacuation was facilitated through comprehensive arrangements and measures to guarantee a smooth and secure process. The ministry emphasised that these efforts reflect the directives of His Majesty the King and HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister to prioritise…

Manama : Bahrain Post, part of the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications, has issued a collection of commemorative stamps in celebration of Bahrain’s National Day celebrations and the 25th anniversary of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa’s accession. The stamps are available at all postal branches and the Postal Museum, priced at BD5 per sheet containing five sets and BD1.5 for a first-day issue envelope.

Manama : His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, met today with His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Edward, at Gudaibiya Palace.  HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister affirmed that the Kingdom of Bahrain, under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, remains committed to strengthening cooperation and joint coordination with the United Kingdom. His Royal Highness highlighted the longstanding historic bilateral relations and multifaceted cooperation between Bahrain and the United Kingdom. HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad welcomed The Duke of Edinburgh and his accompanying…

Manama : The Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) announced the implementation of 987 inspection campaigns and visits, during the period of December 8-14, which resulted in the detention of 34 violating and irregular workers, while 116 violators were deported.  The inspection campaigns and visits also resulted in monitoring a number of violations related to the provisions of a number of regulating laws, especially the Labour Market Regulatory Authority and the Residency Laws in the Kingdom of Bahrain, noting that legal measures were taken regarding the observed violation The Authority pointed out that 971 inspection visits were carried out on various…

Manama : The Google search engine marked Bahrain’s National Day, the 25th anniversary of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa’s Accession to the Throne, and the accompanying national events, with a special tribute.  Google’s homepage featured an animated depiction of Bahrain’s flag fluttering in the sky, surrounded by a red-and-white frame, in celebration of this national occasion.