Author: News Desk

Washington : The US House of Representatives passed a massive defense policy bill authorising a record $901 billion in annual military spending, paving the way for the must-pass measure to become law for a 65th straight year. The National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, authorises Pentagon programs, but does not fund them. Congress must separately pass funding in a spending bill for the fiscal year ending in September 2026. The legislation is a compromise between versions of the NDAA passed earlier this year by the Senate and House. The $901 billion in defense spending is $8 billion more than His…

Manama : The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) is finalising preparations to launch Hawa Al Manama, taking place from December 25, 2025, to January 15, 2026, as part of the Celebrate Bahrain season. The event will offer interactive experiences inspired by Bahrain’s cultural and economic transformation between the 1960s and 1990s. Sara Ahmed Buhejji, Chief Executive Officer of BTEA, said the event’s location in the old souq carries particular significance, reflecting the historical importance of Manama and the role it played in shaping the economic and social identity of the Kingdom of Bahrain. She noted that the old souq…

Manama : Shaikh Khalid bin Humood Al Khalifa, the Capital Governor, attended the closing ceremony of the Bahraini-Russian Business Forum, held as part of the “Russian Business and Culture Days in Bahrain” associated with the “ARFA Business Mission in Bahrain 2025”, aimed at enhancing economic and cultural cooperation between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Russian Federation and supporting promising investment partnerships. The ARFA Bahrain 2025 programme aims to highlight the competitive advantages of investing in the Kingdom, showcase its evolving economic environment, and present opportunities for Russian companies seeking to expand into regional markets. The ceremony included a variety…

Tokyo : A powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck off northern Japan late Monday, injuring 23 people and triggering a tsunami in Pacific coast communities, officials said. Authorities warned of possible aftershocks and an increased risk of a megaquake. Authorities were still assessing damages from the tsunami and late-evening quake, which struck at about 11:15 pm in the Pacific Ocean, around 80 kilometres (50 miles) off the coast of Aomori, the northernmost prefecture of Japan’s main Honshu island, according to the Associated Press (AP). A tsunami of up to 70 centimetres (2 feet, 4 inches) was measured in Kuji port in…

Baghdad :  Fatima bint Jaafar Al Sairafi, Minister of Tourism, led the Kingdom of Bahrain’s delegation to the 28th session of the Arab Ministerial Council for Tourism and the 36th meeting of its Executive Office, held in Baghdad from December 8 to 10. The meetings were organised by the General Secretariat of the Arab League’s Economic Affairs Sector – Transport and Tourism Department, and attended by Mohammed Shia Al Sudani, Prime Minister of the Republic of Iraq. The minister said the meetings provide an important platform for strengthening cooperation among Arab states and supporting the development of the tourism sector…

Manama :  General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Traffic Council, chaired the council’s meeting today. Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Minister of Finance and National Economy; Dr. Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications; Ibrahim bin Hassan Al Hawaj, Minister of Works; and Dr. Mohammed bin Mubarak Juma, Minister of Education, attended the meeting. General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah emphasised the importance of continuing efforts to enhance road safety, noting the Royal directives of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to protect lives and property,…

Manama : BIC, Sakhir – Not even a week removed from hosting one of international karting’s biggest annual events, Bahrain International Circuit’s (BIC) world-class grassroots motorsport facility will be buzzing once again with back-to-back days of high-octane racing action. Bahrain International Karting Circuit (BIKC), the Kingdom’s history-making karting venue in Sakhir, will be hosting this Friday and Saturday (Editor’s note: 12 and 13 December) the second and third rounds of the 2025/2026 Bahrain Rotax MAX Challenge (BRMC), the country’s premier karting championship. After a hugely successful event on the world stage in the just-concluding Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals 2025, which…

Manama :  Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), the Home of Motorsport in the Middle East, launches a new Kanoo Motors Rolling Drag Night on Thursday, December 11. The excitement continues for motorsport enthusiasts with the “Open Track” activity for cars and motorbikes taking place on Friday, December 12. The Kanoo Motors Rolling Drag competition is set for Thursday from 7 PM to 12 Midnight, with registration taking place in the circuit’s car park. The Rolling Drag is one of the newest additions to BIC’s varied line-up of thrilling activities. Similar to the Ibrahim K. Kanoo Drag and Drift Nights, it offers…

Riyadh :  His Royal Highness Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar, attended the signing of the agreement to implement the high-speed electric railway project between the two countries, on the sidelines of the Saudi-Qatari Coordination Council. The agreement was signed by Saleh Al Jasser, Minister of Transport and Logistics Services of Saudi Arabia, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Thani, Minister of Transport of Qatar, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. The…

Aceh Tamiang : Residents in the Indonesian region of Aceh Tamiang climbed over slippery logs and walked for about an hour on Saturday to get aid, as the death toll from floods and landslides that hit Sumatra island this month reached more than 900. The number known to have died as a result of the cyclone-induced floods and landslides across three Indonesian provinces on Sumatra, including Aceh, was 916 on Saturday, with 274 listed as missing, government data showed. The storm systems also killed about 200 people in southern Thailand and Malaysia. Survivors in the Aceh Tamiang region, on the…