Day: July 31, 2024

Manama, His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa today sent a cable of congratulations to Her Excellency Viola Amherd, the President of the Swiss Confederation, on her country's National Day. Source: Bahrain News Agency

Muharraq, Gulf Air Group has reported robust first half-year statistics for Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and Bahrain Airport Company (BAC), the operator and managing body of Bahrain International Airport (BIA), for 2024. The performance in the first half of the year was marked by an increase in passenger numbers, Travel Volume, and cargo traffic. The Gulf Air airline strengthened its Asia-Pacific and European network with new flights to Guangzhou and Shanghai in China, and Munich in Germany, establishing additional connectivity with Bahrain. Furthermore, the airline resumed flights to the cities of Baghdad and Najaf in Iraq, increased frequencies to the Qatari capital of Doha, and the Omani capital of Muscat, in addition to Manchester in the United Kingdom, and Milan and Rome in Italy, and launched new seasonal destinations to Alula in Saudi Arabia, Geneva in Switzerland, and Rhodes in Greece. Passenger volume increased by 8.5% to 3.1 million compared to the same period last ye ar. Capacity grew to more than 4.3 million, while passenger load factor rose to 77.9% and cargo traffic increased by 3.5% to 41,000 tons. In terms of overall passenger statistics at Bahrain International Airport, Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) reported a 13.2% increase in passenger volume to 4.6 million in the first half of 2024, as well as a 9.4% rise in air traffic movements to over 48,000. Cargo operations saw an increase of 7.19% to 189,799 tonnes compared to the first half of 2023. As for new airlines, Bahrain Airport Company welcomed Fly Jinnah (Pakistan's leading low-cost carrier), which began flights from Islamabad to Bahrain in July. Garnering industry recognition, Bahrain Airport Company was honoured with two leading industry awards: 'Airport Operator of the Year for Medium Size Airport' and 'Aviation Sustainability Award' at the 2024 Aviation Achievement Awards, as well as Skytrax "Best Airport Staff in the Middle East 2024" award. Source: Bahrain News Agency

Manama, His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, today sent a cable of congratulations to the President of the Swiss Confederation, HE Viola Amherd, on the occasion of the Swiss National Day. Source: Bahrain News Agency

Manama, An international expert in wildlife hazard management in aviation emphasised the importance of applying adequate measures to avoid catastrophic incidents. In his remarks to Bahrain News Agency (BNA), Jeff Follett, Chief Executive Officer of Avisure, highlighted the role of effective wildlife management in aviation to maintain safe operations and avoid engine damage. Bahrain Airport Company (BAC), in partnership with Avisure, an aviation risk consultancy, conducted a Wildlife Hazard Assessment (WHA). This assessment aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Bahrain International Airport's (BIA) wildlife hazard management programme and define ways to enhance safety standards and safeguard airport operations. Aircraft collisions with birds or other animals represent a significant risk to aircraft safety and operational efficiency due to their potential to cause aircraft damage, flight delays, as well as safety hazards for passengers and crew. This ongoing assessment programme consists of three thorough e valuations, the first of which was conducted in July 2023, the second in January 2024, and the most recent in July 2024. It includes wildlife surveys, a comprehensive review of wildlife management practices and associated documentation, and an audit aligned with regulations set forth by the Bahrain Civil Aviation Authority (BCAA), International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Annex 14 requirements, ICAO Doc 9137 Airport Services Manual Part 3 - Wildlife Hazard Management standards, and ICAO Doc 9981 Procedures for Air Navigation Services Aerodromes standards. "In aviation, wildlife strikes refer to any animals that come into conflict with aircraft. This includes domestic animals like dogs and cats, pigeons, and wild animals such as flamingos and giraffes. This can include any animal crossing an aircraft's path," Follett said. Follet explained that adequate wildlife hazard management could prevent catastrophic incidents. He mentioned the example of the Hudson River bird strike incident in 2009 when a floc k of geese were struck by an aircraft shortly after taking off. The incident gained widespread attention because of the successful ditching of the aircraft and the subsequent rescue of all 155 people on board. The event became widely known as the "Miracle on the Hudson and was later depicted in the 2016 film Sully, starring Tom Hanks as pilot Captain Chesley Sullenberger. "If you think of safety, there could be a catastrophic incident, which we try to avoid, such as the plane incident in the Hudson River. In addition, It can be something as simple as the reputation of the airport, the airline, or the confidence of people in flying by watching a social media post of an engine on fire after ingesting a bird," Follett added. "This also includes tangible things such as the cost of civil aviation, which is about $ 50,000 per incident. There are also four to five major incidents that include damaged aircraft, which can be quite extensive," Follett noted. Based on Bahrain's wildlife strike history, Follett high lighted that predominantly gulls, doves, and pigeons, were involved in collisions with aircraft. "We visited three different sites, one of them had over a thousand pigeons, and the other two had about 200 and 500. Those birds can cross the airport, which can be a matter of concern," Follett said. The CEO noted the importance of increasing community awareness of wildlife strikes to maintain a clear zone around and within the airport to maintain the safety of aircraft and animals. On his part, Ali AlAseeri, the Manager of Aerodrome Safety at BAC, underscored the company's continuous efforts to develop and implement the wildlife hazard management programme, in accordance with national civil aviation laws and international regulations. AlAseeri emphasised BAC's continuous efforts in advancing the programme to mitigate wildlife strikes and hazards at the airport. This includes conducting inspection campaigns within and around the airport throughout the year to assess the local wildlife and reduce the risk of w ildlife strikes. The wildlife hazard management programme at BIA was established in 2018 by the Airside Operations and Aerodrome Safety departments. The programme includes reporting wildlife collisions, conducting focused inspections and monitoring on the airside, implementing bird dispersal techniques to mitigate risks to aircraft operations, and enhancing the awareness and proficiency of airside personnel for the effective execution of the programme. Source: Bahrain News Agency

Manama, His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa sent a cable of congratulations to His Excellency Patrice Talon, President of the Republic of Benin, on his country's National Day. Source: Bahrain News Agency

Manama, The Labour Fund (Tamkeen) announced the selection of six promising Bahraini startups for the first cohort of the Riyada Business Accelerator Programme. Powered by Salica Investments, formerly known as Hambro Perks, the programme aims to support early-stage startups through innovation, funding strategy, mentorship, and strategic collaboration. From over 85 applications, 14 startups were initially chosen for a ramp-up phase to refine their technology, product offerings, and business strategies. Six standout startups were then selected to join the first cohort. The cohort includes four female-led startups, highlighting Bahrain's diverse and inclusive startup ecosystem. The selected startups, representing various tech-related industries such as education, e-sports, and travel, are: - ArabiQuest, by Aqeela Allahyari: An Arabic language learning app for children aged 2-8, focusing on improving speaking skills through engaging methods. - Indiesouq, by Eman Sabah: A crowdfunding platform for content creat ors and filmmakers, offering unique investment opportunities with features like fund release percentage, milestone-based disbursement, and film insurance. - Numuw, by Ingy Alireza: A platform facilitating collaboration between families, schools, and specialists, providing compliant solutions, a global network of experts, secure video conferencing, and comprehensive practice management tools for effective therapy management. - ProCode, by Rami Jamal and Shahad Alzaki: An eSports platform providing educational resources, personalised coaching, and community engagement to help gamers enhance their skills and succeed in the competitive gaming industry. - Sellou, by Salman Alkhalifa: A video selling Ad-Tech platform connecting users with buyers through short videos linked to preferred communication modes like WhatsApp. - Travilege, by Salman Almarzooq: A B2B2C ERP SaaS platform digitising and automating operations for travel agencies, tour operators, and event organisers to streamline processes and enhance tra vel experiences. Bahraini entrepreneurs can visit Tamkeen's official website to learn more about the programme and how to join future cohorts. Source: Bahrain News Agency

Manama, Nawaf bin Mohammed Al Maawda, the Minister of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Affairs, issued decision (65) of 2024 regarding the procedures for the election for the membership of the Council of Representatives for voters outside the Kingdom of Bahrain. A polling and counting committee for the election of the member of the Council of Representatives in the vacated first electoral district of Muharraq Governorate will be set up at each embassy, consulate, or diplomatic mission of the Kingdom of Bahrain abroad. This committee will be headed by the ambassador, consul general, or head of the diplomatic mission, and will include two officials from the embassy, consulate, or diplomatic mission, one of whom will serve as the secretary of the committee. Each committee is responsible for conducting the two polling operations and counting the votes of voters present in the country where the embassy, consulate, or diplomatic mission is located. The decision stipulates: "The committees referred to in the previous article shall observe the following procedures: The election will be held in embassies, consulates, and diplomatic missions on Tuesday, September 3, 2024. In cases that require a re-election, the election will be held on Tuesday, September 10, 2024. Voting will take place from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, according to the local time of the city in which the embassy, consulate, or diplomatic mission is located." The committees must also "publish on the elections website and social media the procedures for registering Bahrainis living abroad who are entitled to vote in the by-election for the vacated constituency. Additionally, they must publish the voting procedures in advance of the scheduled date for the election." Regarding the preparation of the voter list, the decision indicated that "the names of voters registered in the vacated electoral district who wish to vote abroad will be open for registration through the elections website or at the headquarters of the embassy, consulate, or diplomatic miss ion for three days, from August 19, 2024, to August 21, 2024, during official working hours. It is required that the voters are registered in the electoral roll for the vacated district in the Kingdom." Accordingly, "the Supreme Committee for the general supervision of the election of the member of the Council of Representatives in the vacant district shall send a final list of the names of voters abroad who have the right to vote to each embassy, consulate, or diplomatic mission before the election date". This list will be recognised in the voting process by the committee formed at each location." Regarding the voting and counting procedures, the resolution stated that "the identity of the voter shall be verified through their passport or any other approved official document. It must be confirmed that the voter is registered in the electoral roll for the vacated constituency and has not previously cast their vote. This verification will be conducted by reviewing the list of registered voters at the emb assy, consulate, or diplomatic mission. Voters will be marked in the voters' roll manually or electronically to indicate that they have cast their vote, or by any other means approved by the head of the Supreme Committee for the general supervision of the election of members of the Council of Representatives." After the counting, a record shall be made with the number of votes cast, valid/invalid votes, votes per candidate, and committee decisions. The head and secretary shall sign this counting record. The record, ballots, and voters' data shall be placed in a sealed envelope and sent to the Supreme Committee overseeing the election in the vacated district, with a copy emailed/faxed immediately. The resolution also noted that "those who did not cast their vote at the embassy, consulate, or diplomatic mission have the right to vote before the relevant committee in their electoral district if they are present in the Kingdom of Bahrain on election day." Source: Bahrain News Agency

Manama, Bahrain All Share Index today closed at 1,969.89 points, marking a decrease of 8.67 points below the previous closing. This decrease was due to the drop in the communications service sector, the financial sector, the materials sector and the real estate sector. Bahrain Islamic Index closed at 817.93 points, marking a decrease of 3.99 points below the previous closing. Results indicated that 66 equity transactions took place with a volume of 867,609 worth BD 323,012. Investors traded mainly in the financial sector, representing 47.93% of the total value of securities traded. Source: Bahrain News Agency

Rafha, The Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Nature Reserve Development Authority launched on the occasion of World Ranger Day a campaign to raise awareness about the rangers' contribution to protecting the environment, wildlife and historical monuments. At the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Nature Reserve, rangers strive to protect, monitor and control it by patrolling it daily, carefully following up on the natural habitats of wildlife and vegetation cover, and preventing illegal activities, such as grazing, poaching and tree felling. They also assist scientific research teams and people doing academic studies in the reserve, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. The authority has trained more than 100 rangers and staff over 8,000 hours as part of Saudi Arabia's largest programme for environmental protection and monitoring, and uses morSave And Closee than 40 drones, IoT, AI software and data science in its work. It will work to further improve the work of rangers by having them train in the best specialized courses in the field of environment monitoring, first aid, methodologies for managing natural disasters, dealing with emergencies and crises, and the use of technical means to secure the protection of the environment. Source: Bahrain News Agency

Manama, Dr. Shaikh Rashid bin Mohammed bin Futais Al Hajri, Chairman of the Sunni Endowments Council, met Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, President of Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA). Dr. Shaikh Rashid Al Hajri, commended the vital role of BACA. The President of BACA affirmed the importance of cooperation between the two authorities to further preserve the Bahraini identity. Source: Bahrain News Agency