#Bahrain

Bahrain’s Al Waha Fund of Funds invests in $50m fintech fund

The VentureSouq MENA FinTech Fund will support fintech companies in Bahrain and across the region

Kitopi launches its first kitchens in Bahrain and Qatar

The company, which turns four this month, will set up operations in Malaysia and Singapore next

Binance gets in-principle approval in Bahrain to provide crypto services

Bahrain has been one of the Middle East’s early adopters in the digital assets space

Covid-19: Bahrain to move to ‘yellow alert level’ over omicron concerns

The new alert level will be in place from Sunday, December 19, 2021, until Monday, January 31, 2022

Gulf leaders stress need for joint security, approve establishment of GCC Railways Authority

The GCC Supreme Council also urged for the need to accelerate the establishment of a joint customs union and the GCC Common Market

Bahrain parliament approves decision to double VAT to 10%

The bill has now been sent to the Shura Council, the upper house of the National Assembly

Bahrain’s financial group acquires US medical offices for $200m

Spread across seven states, the medical offices portfolio consists of 11 assets and 400,000 square feet of space

Bahrain says ‘Iran-linked terrorists’ arrested for plotting attack

Weapons and explosives from Iran were seized from the accused who are “associated with terrorist groups”, officials said

Emirates Gulf Air

Dubai’s Emirates and Bahrain’s Gulf Air unveil codeshare plans

The MoU was signed on the first day of the Dubai Airshow 2021

BMW and Audi may have McLaren in their sights

BMW will hold talks with Bahrain’s Mumtalakat, which controls McLaren, at the beginning of next month

Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, Bahrain Bourse sign strategic partnership agreement

The two entities will introduce products and services including exchange-traded funds, smart order routing and cross-border direct trading

Investcorp

Bahrain’s Investcorp builds EUR1bn European real estate portfolio

It recently acquired ten UK industrial assets for a combined purchase price of GBP56.7m

Bahrain aims to attract 14.1 million tourists by 2026 as part of new strategy

The strategy seeks to increase the contribution of tourism to Bahrain’s GDP to reach 11.4 per cent in 2026

New Arcapita venture to invest $2bn in US warehouses

The goal is to grow the portfolio to as much as $2bn in gross asset value across the top 25 US industrial markets

Bahrain plans $30bn investment as it balances its budget

The kingdom aims to create more than 20,000 jobs annually for citizens by 2024

Covid-19: Bahrain updates alert system, temperature checks to be stopped for unvaccinated

Obligatory registration of information will no longer be required for non-vaccinated individuals when entering a facility, with waiting areas to be re-opened

Digital transformation will lead to a cleaner future

While sustainability is the future, digital transformation is a key enabler supporting industries make the transition

Expo 2020 Dubai pavilions: Ireland, Singapore, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Bahrain, Austria

Here’s a list of eight participating country pavilions and their offerings

Germany

Travellers from UAE and Bahrain can now travel to Germany irrespective of vaccination status

The latest decision to add the two countries to the German safe list was based on a recommendation of the Council of the European Union

Saudi Arabia Airport

Saudi announces further easing of restrictions for certain travellers

Travellers from select categories, who were previously required to spend 14 days outside certain countries before entering the kingdom, can now enter directly

Bahrain plans to double VAT in bid to curb deficit

Bahrain’s budget shortfall is projected to drop to 9.1 per cent of gross domestic product this year compared with 18.3 per cent of GDP in 2020

Reel Cinemas

Emaar Entertainment partners with Eagle Hills Diyar to open Reel Cinemas in Bahrain

Located in Marassi Galleria in Manama, the country’s first Reel Cinemas will open in 2022 and feature 10 screens

Bahrain records its hottest August in 119 years

The mean temperature of the month stood at 36.8 degree celsius, 1.7 degrees above the long-term normal for August

Abraham Accords: What has been the biggest impact so far?

Prominent Israeli leaders voice their thoughts on the major changes they have seen in the last year

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi to begin flights to Bahrain

It will operate thrice weekly services starting September 9

Bahrain International Airport

Bahrain adds Georgia, Ukraine and Malawi to travel red list

Starting August 12, there will be 25 countries on the kingdom’s red list

Dubai Airport

UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and India removed from UK’s travel red list

These countries will be added to the UK’s amber list, with the changes coming into force from 4am BST on Sunday, August 8

Manama Bahrain

IMF says Bahrain needs ‘urgent fiscal adjustment’ after virus

The fund projects Bahrain’s economy will grow 3.3 per cent this year

McLaren gets $760m from investors including Saudi wealth fund PIF

McLaren, controlled by Bahrain’s Mumtalakat, has been hit by the pandemic