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02/01/2026

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01/01/2026

The Royal Medical Services continued to consolidate its leading position at the regional level by providing advanced healthcare services for one million patients in 2025 in all affiliated hospitals and health centers.

This clearly underscores the ongoing development of the medical infrastructure, the efficiency of the national medical staff, and their ability to deliver world-class healthcare, Royal Medical Services Commander Brigadier Dr Shaikh Fahad bin Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa said, affirming that these achievements embody a clear strategic vision for developing the healthcare system.

He noted that the total number of emergency department visits reached 155,148 in 2025, while the total number of inpatient admissions amounted to 91,709 cases. Meanwhile, visits to specialised outpatient clinics reached 882,820, contributing to the provision of nearly one million healthcare services in a single year.

This achievement is considered a milestone for the Royal Medical Services and a reflection of the competence and distinction of the national medical staff in meeting healthcare needs to the highest standards, he said.

Read more: https://www.gdnonline.com/Details/1372311

The Royal Medical Services continued to consolidate its leading position at the regional level by providing advanced healthcare services for one million patients in 2025 in all affiliated hospitals and health centers. This clearly underscores the ongoing development of the medical infrastructure, th...

01/01/2026

Three employment opportunities have been offered to 18,657 job-seekers in Bahrain, Labour and Legal Affairs Minister Yousif Khalaf has said.

This is in line with the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to provide three opportunities to every registered job-seeker by the end of the year, supporting national employment efforts and sustainable economic growth, he said yesterday.

Mr Khalaf added that the initiative has progressed according to a clear plan and a steady pace of work.

He noted that progress is measured using official data from the Social Insurance Organisation, the Information and eGovernment Authority and the Labour Market Regulatory Authority.

Read more: https://www.gdnonline.com/Details/1372329

Three employment opportunities have been offered to 18,657 job-seekers in Bahrain, Labour and Legal Affairs Minister Yousif Khalaf has said. This is in line with the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to provide three opportunities t...

01/01/2026

The fourth edition of the Muharraq Nights Festival wrapped up on Tuesday after a month-long celebration featuring more than 1,300 cultural activities and musical performances.

Organised by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (Baca) along the 3.5km Pearling Path, the festival spanned from the Bu Maher shoreline to the Siyadi Majlis.

The event featured more than 560 cultural activities, including art exhibitions, guided tours and interactive workshops, alongside 800 musical performances.

Information Minister Dr Ramzan Al Nuaimi yesterday said His Majesty King Hamad’s remarks are a source of pride for professionals working in the national media sector and reflect the confidence placed by the King in the media as a partner in conveying national events, highlighting cultural initiatives and presenting Bahrain’s image domestically and internationally with professionalism and responsibility.

His Majesty had expressed his admiration for Muharraq and its people, commending their efforts to showcase the city’s deep-rooted civilisation and rich heritage through the festival.

Dr Al Nuaimi noted that the ministry will continue to carry out its responsibilities in line with the vision of His Majesty and the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, with a focus on reinforcing national identity and preserving established values in the coverage of cultural and national events.

Read more: https://www.gdnonline.com/Details/1372305

The fourth edition of the Muharraq Nights Festival wrapped up on Tuesday after a month-long celebration featuring more than 1,300 cultural activities and musical performances. Organised by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (Baca) along the 3 .

01/01/2026

A group of Bahrain-based individuals have completed their Braille training with Friendship Society for the Blind and will be honoured during a ceremony staged at the group’s premises in Isa Town, marking World Braille Day on January 4.

The candidates included not just visually impaired learners but also able sighted teachers, nodding to the platform’s ongoing efforts toward building an inclusive community. They will receive their certificates on January 10.

Braille is a tactile representation of alphabetic and numerical symbols using six dots to represent each letter and number, and even musical, mathematical and scientific symbols. Named after its inventor, Louis Braille, it is used by blind and partially sighted people. World Braille Day is observed to raise awareness of the importance of Braille as a means of communication.

“We have at least one training session every year, which runs for two months, and more depending on the requests we receive,” Friendship Society for the Blind general manager Ali Haji told GulfWeekly.

“Our Braille training this year was attended by around 17 candidates comprising not just visually impaired individuals but also teachers who wanted to equip themselves with the knowledge. The candidates were as young as 10 years going up to as high as 40 years. This is part of the many events that we conduct all year round,” he added.

Mr Haji, who has been volunteering with the society for the last 44 years, highlighted the diverse activities that the society organises, from sporting events to training sessions for corporates on how to have inclusive workspaces for the visually impaired.

“We have conducted inclusivity training workshops at various schools and hospitals, as well as with the Bahrain Police and Gulf Air,” noted the teacher, who previously worked at the Education Ministry.

Read more: https://www.gdnonline.com/Details/1372284

A group of Bahrain-based individuals have completed their Braille training with Friendship Society for the Blind and will be honoured during a ceremony staged at the group’s premises in Isa Town, marking World Braille Day on January 4. The candidates included not just visually impaired learners bu...

01/01/2026

The Hawa Al Manama festival reflects the authentic spirit of the Kingdom and showcases the beauty of its cultural and social diversity through an integrated tourism experience that celebrates heritage and resonates with citizens and visitors alike, Tourism Minister and Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) chairperson Fatima Al Sairafi has said.

She was accompanied by several senior ministers as she toured the festival, one of the flagship events of the Celebrate Bahrain season.

Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Minister Nawaf Al Maawda, Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture Minister Wael Al Mubarak, Labour and Legal Affairs Minister Yousif Khalaf, Health Minister Dr Jalila Al Sayyed Social Development Minister Osama Al Alawi and Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities president Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa were present.

The ministers reviewed the cultural and tourism experiences on offer, which recreate a distinctive period in the history of the capital and revive Manama’s social and commercial memory.

The event highlights aspects of heritage and national identity, contributing to a comprehensive and enriching tourism experience for citizens, residents, and visitors.

Read more: https://www.gdnonline.com/Details/1372301

THE Hawa Al Manama festival reflects the authentic spirit of the Kingdom and showcases the beauty of its cultural and social diversity through an integrated tourism experience that celebrates heritage and resonates with citizens and visitors alike, Tourism Minister and Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition...

01/01/2026

An advanced surgical procedure to remove the gallbladder through a single incision at the navel, using the ‘surgical glove’ technique, has been successfully performed at Salmaniya Medical Complex.

The procedure, led by general surgery consultant Dr Hamza Munir and his team, was carried out on a 27-year-old female patient with sickle cell anaemia.

This technique is considered a minimally invasive surgery as it is performed through a single cosmetic incision at the navel, helping to reduce post-operative pain, accelerate recovery, and avoid visible scarring.

The patient was discharged in a stable condition without any complications.

SMC reiterated its desire to advancing surgical services by adopting the latest minimally invasive techniques, enhancing the efficiency of national medical staff and raising the quality of healthcare in line with the best international standards.

Read more: https://www.gdnonline.com/Details/1372303

An advanced surgical procedure to remove the gallbladder through a single incision at the navel, using the ‘surgical glove’ technique, has been successfully performed at Salmaniya Medical Complex. The procedure, led by general surgery consultant Dr Hamza Munir and his team, was carried out on a ...

01/01/2026

A fire engulfed a historic church in Amsterdam over the New Year, according to local media. Eyewitness footage filmed over Wednesday (December 31) and Thursday (January 1) from a nearby residential area showed the steeple of Vondelkerk, a heritage church near Vondelpark, engulfed by flames and smoke.

Authorities evacuated dozens of nearby homes due to a shower of burning debris, local media NOS reported.

Reuters could not independently verify what caused the fire.

There were no immediate reports of casualties, and the cause of the blaze remains under investigation, according to NOS.

Read: https://www.gdnonline.com/Details/1372347

01/01/2026

Around 40 people have been killed and 100 injured, most of them seriously, after an explosion tore through a crowded bar during a New Year's Eve party in the upscale ski resort of Crans-Montana, Swiss officials said on Thursday.

A fire broke out at 1.30 am (0030 GMT) in a bar called "Le Constellation" in the resort in southwestern Switzerland. The cause of the blast remains unclear but authorities said it appeared to be an accident.

"At the moment we are considering this a fire and we are not considering the possibility of an attack," prosecutor Beatrice Pilloud told a press conference, adding that authorities had opened a full investigation.

Some of the victims are from other countries, said Stephane Ganzer, head of security for the Valais canton. The canton's head of police, Frederic Gisler, said a helpline had been opened for relatives.

"I can’t hide from you that we are all shaken by what happened overnight in Crans," Gisler told the press conference.

"Our count is about 100 injured, most seriously, and unfortunately tens of people are presumed dead," he said, adding that patients had been dispatched to hospitals in Sion, Lausanne, Geneva and Zurich.

Read more: https://www.gdnonline.com/Details/1372340

01/01/2026

In line with the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to expand afforestation across Bahrain’s governorates, Deputy Prime Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa planted and watered the 191,000th tree at Manama Municipality, marking the completion of afforestation works and the surpassing of the annual target for 2025 under the national afforestation plan.

The initiative was attended by a number of ministers and senior officials.

The Deputy Prime Minister said that the progress achieved since the launch of the afforestation plan in 2022 aligns with the comprehensive development process led by His Majesty King Hamad, which aims to support environmental sustainability, enhance quality of life and achieve balance between urban development and environmental, social and economic considerations.

He noted that the close attention given to the afforestation plan by HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister has played a direct role in accelerating implementation, improving performance efficiency and underscoring the prominence of environmental priorities within government work, as well as advancing current plan targets towards the overall goal set for 2035.

Read more: https://www.gdnonline.com/Details/1372304 #

In line with the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to expand afforestation across Bahrain’s governorates, Deputy Prime Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa planted and watered the 191,000th tree at Manama Municipality, ma...

01/01/2026

An appeals court has declared a wife innocent of aiding her husband in smuggling more than 6kg of hashish into Bahrain, sparing her a long prison term.

In October, the Indian couple was sentenced to 15 years behind bars and fined BD5,000 for hiding narcotics – packaged as food – inside a suitcase among toys, nuts and sweets.

The man and woman flew from Thailand to Bahrain via Abu Dhabi. They were reportedly sent to the kingdom by a drug dealer in Pakistan to hand over the shipment to a local operative.

On top of the jail time and fine, the High Criminal Court ruled that the married expats be deported after completing their sentence.

After insisting on her innocence throughout all stages of the trial, the wife took to the appeals court for another chance at justice.

“After the Supreme Criminal Appeals Court scrutinised all the facts and prosecution evidence on which the accusations were built, doubts began to emerge,” read the verdict.

“The incident has a side that was not presented by the leading detective – facts he did not include in order to give more legitimacy to his accusations. He omitted facts that could weaken his argument.

“The detective himself mentioned that the first appellant smuggled the narcotics and took advantage of his wife, who aided him in the smuggling without knowing what was in the bag. This version of events is also confirmed by her husband’s statements.”

During questioning by the Public Prosecution, the appellants denied the charges, claiming that they thought they were transporting bukhoor and oud (incense) in return for 10,000 Indian Rupees (BD42).

Read more: https://www.gdnonline.com/Details/1372300

An appeals court has declared a wife innocent of aiding her husband in smuggling more than 6kg of hashish into Bahrain, sparing her a long prison term. In October, the Indian couple was sentenced to 15 years behind bars and fined BD5,000 for hiding narcotics – packaged as food – inside a suitcas...

01/01/2026

Families in Bahrain seeking to hire domestic workers, whether on a full-time or hourly basis, are being urged to recruit only through licensed agencies and verify the worker’s identity before allowing them into their homes.

Speaking on the Al Aman show on social media, Hidd Police Station head Colonel Dr Osama Bahar emphasised the importance of thorough checks before hiring household help.

“Some families require the services of housekeepers on an hourly basis to assist with cleaning,” said Col Dr Bahar.

“You should ensure that you sign contracts only with workers from licensed agencies and never allow anyone into your home unless you are certain of the company they represent.”

Col Dr Bahar urged families to ensure that domestic workers undergo a medical examination and to verify their identification and credentials to confirm their authenticity. He also stressed the importance of researching the agency before engaging its services.

“Would you hire someone off the street to be a gardener or a driver for your children? If not, why would you allow a woman who just shows up at your door asking for work into your home?” he said.

“Do not bring in anybody to help with household chores without verifying their background and medical history. Otherwise, they might do something you will regret – and by then, regret will be useless.

“Never allow a stranger into your home until you have confirmed their identity and background.”

Read more: https://www.gdnonline.com/Details/1372310

Families in Bahrain seeking to hire domestic workers, whether on a full-time or hourly basis, are being urged to recruit only through licensed agencies and verify the worker’s identity before allowing them into their homes. Speaking on the Al Aman show on social media, Hidd Police Station head Col...