Author: News Desk

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has caused huge environmental damage for which Kyiv will seek compensation in international courts, Ukraine’s environment minister said on Thursday. Ruslan Strilets, Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, said the war had destroyed ecosystems, deprived wildlife of its natural habitat and contaminated land in one of the world’s main grain producers. “Over the past 20 years, this is the first military conflict in the world that has caused such large-scale environmental damage,” he told a news conference. “Russian missiles hit our oil depots, thermal power plants, chemical plants – this definitely affects the environment. Forests…

Manama: Gulf Air, in collaboration with Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority (BTEA), participated in Arabian Travel Market 2022 in Dubai. Bahrain’s national carrier was part of the authority’s pavilion that represented the Kingdom at the yearly travel exhibition. Gulf Air Acting CEO Captain Waleed Al Alawi met with the national carrier’s partners and representatives of tourism authorities and travel agencies participating in the exhibition. Captain AlAlawi praised BTEA’s Deputy CEO Fatima Al Sairafi and the authority’s efforts in highlighting Bahrain’s tourism showcased at the exhibition.

Manama: The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority (BTEA) has announced the innovative identity of the New Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre (IECC) in Sakhir. Bahrain IECC is planned to be launched by the end of this year, with the goal of strengthening the Kingdom of Bahrain’s status as a leading destination for exhibitions, events, and enterprises, as well as attracting future tourism investments and events to the area. Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority Zayed bin Rashid Al-Zayani,, affirmed that this unique architectural…

The joint defence drill, “Neon Defender 22”, carried out by a number of units from the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF), the Ministry of Interior, represented by the Coast Guard, and the US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT), concluded here today. Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations, Major-General Ghanim Al-Fadhala, Commander of NAVCENT, U.S. 5th Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces, Vice Admiral, Brad Cooper, and Commander of Royal Bahraini Naval Force (RBNF), Rear Admiral Mohammed Yousef Al-Asam, attended the closing ceremony. Neon Defender 22 featured a number of diverse workshops and joint military exercises that keep pace with the latest developments,…

Airfield maintenance work at Bahrain International Airport (BIA) is now completed, Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) announced. Carried out twice annually, the work is vital to maintain civil and airfield ground lighting of the runway, helping to ensure safe and smooth aircraft operations. “Runways and taxiways experience significant wear and tear during normal operations, so maintaining these surfaces without disrupting flights is a key part of any airport operator’s responsibility,”BAC Chief Development and Technical Officer Abdulla Janahi said. “Using all necessary resources and adhering to a strict schedule, our Airside and Landside Maintenance and Infrastructure and Building Maintenance teams diligently planned…

The German Ambassador to Bahrain Kai Boeckmann has lauded the steady progress of the partnership between Bahrain and Germany since the launch of their diplomatic relations in 1972. “As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of this important date, I would like to express my gratitude to the Kingdom of Bahrain, especially to HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, to HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and the government and the people of Bahrain for their strong commitment and support to the relations between our two countries,” Boeckmann said. “Germany and Bahrain are…

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un slammed his country’s response to its first confirmed COVID-19 outbreak as immature, accusing government officials of inadequacies and inertia as fever cases swept the country, state media reported on Wednesday. North Korea reported 232,880 more people with fever symptoms, and six more deaths after country revealed the COVID outbreak last week. It did not say how many people had tested positive for COVID-19. Presiding over a politburo meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party on Tuesday, Kim said the “immaturity in the state capacity for coping with the crisis” increased the “complexity and hardships” in…

Russia said on Wednesday nearly 700 more Ukrainian fighters had surrendered in Mariupol, but Kyiv was silent about their fate, while a pro-Russian separatist leader said commanders were still holed up in tunnels beneath the giant Azovstal steelworks. More than a day after Kyiv announced it had ordered its garrison in Mariupol to stand down, the ultimate outcome of Europe’s bloodiest battle for decades remained unresolved. Ukrainian officials halted all public discussion of the fate of fighters who had made their last stand there. “The state is making utmost efforts to carry out the rescue of our servicemen. Let’s wait.…

Finland and Sweden formally applied to join the NATO alliance on Wednesday, a decision spurred by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but face objections from Turkey to an accession process that is expected to take only a few weeks. Neutral throughout the Cold War, Sweden’s and Finland’s decision to join NATO is one of the most significant changes in Europe’s security architecture in decades, not least because Finland shares a 1,300-km (810-mile) border with Russia. It also reflects a shift in public opinion in the Nordic region since Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine. “This is a historic moment which we…

Russia on Wednesday said it was using a new generation of powerful laser weapons in Ukraine to burn up drones, deploying some of Moscow’s secret weapons to counter a flood of Western arms supplied to its former Soviet neighbour. President Vladimir Putin in 2018 unveiled an array of new weapons including a new intercontinental ballistic missile, underwater nuclear drones, a supersonic weapon and a new laser weapon. Little is known about the specifics of the new laser weapons. Putin mentioned one called Peresvet, named after a medieval Orthodox warrior monk Alexander Peresvet who perished in mortal combat. Yury Borisov, the…