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Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia X on ‌Wednesday unveiled plans ⁠to resume flights from ‌Kuala Lumpur to London via a ‌new hub in Bahrain, using the extended range of narrow-body jets to stitch fresh ⁠routes alongside established carriers.The service, due to start in June, would make Bahrain AirAsia X's first hub outside Asia, placing it within reach of busy markets in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe.It also marks a return to the British capital more than a decade after the airline suspended non-stop flights from Kuala Lumpur and retired its Airbus A340 jets.Co-founder Tony Fernandes ​said Bahrain could become a regional gateway for underserved secondary cities across Asia, Africa and Europe."While ... of course London is a very emotional destination for many people in Southeast Asia, the ‌real aim is to have ⁠a bunch of A321s flying ​maybe 15 times a day to Bahrain," he told Reuters in ​an interview."From Bahrain, you connect to Africa and Europe with a big emphasis on creating connectivity that doesn't exist."The move follows Asia's largest low-cost carrier completing its acquisition of the short-haul aviation business from parent Capital A, bringing the group's seven airlines under one umbrella.Fernandes, also CEO of Capital A, stressed the importance of the Airbus A321XLR, an extra-long-range narrow-body aircraft he said would let the airline replicate its Asian low-cost model on intercontinental routes."That aircraft enables me to start thinking we can do what we did in Asia to ‌Europe and Africa," he said, ‌citing potential secondary routes such as ⁠Penang to Cologne or Prague.AirAsia plans to redeploy its larger A330s to longer ⁠routes while building up the Bahrain ⁠hub, with possible African destinations including the Maghreb region, Egypt, Morocco, Tanzania and Kenya. A Bangkok-to-Europe route is also under consideration.Fernandes played down direct competition with Gulf carriers, positioning AirAsia X as a budget option aimed at a different market."I'm all about stimulating a new market," he said. "We've got into our little ​playground (of) 3bn people, most of them have not been to Europe."Analysts say taking on Gulf carriers on overlapping routes may be difficult.Fernandes pointed to AirAsia's services to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan as examples of drawing Southeast Asian travellers to new destinations. "When I look at my social media, you see all these Malaysians and Thais who are seeing snow for the first time."AirAsia X's Kuala Lumpur-Istanbul route, launched in November, has been a test case for the Bahrain strategy, and Fernandes said the airline aimed ‌to lift frequency ​from daily to twice daily soon. 

King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa of the Kingdom of Bahrain has received the credentials of Nasser bin Abdullah al-Nassr as ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the State of Qatar to the Kingdom of Bahrain. The ambassador conveyed His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani's greetings and wishes of good health and happiness to the king, and the government and people of Bahrain enduring progress and prosperity. For his part, the Bahrain king entrusted the ambassador with his greetings to HH the Amir, wishing him good health and happiness and the State of Qatar continuous progress and growth.  

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani sent on Monday a cable of congratulations to HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of the sisterly Kingdom of Bahrain, on the occasion of his country's National Day. 

The FIFA Arab Cup group stage concluded in dramatic fashion in Doha as United Arab Emirates defeated Kuwait 3-1 to qualify for the knockout stages. Egypt were, in turn, eliminated after they lost 3-0 to Group C table-toppers Jordan.Later in the evening, Algeria ensured they progressed to the quarter-finals – and topped Group D in the process – with a 2-0 victory over Iraq. Meanwhile, Bahrain defeated Sudan in a 3-1 thriller, but both teams were eliminated. Egypt 0-3 JordanEgypt’s FIFA Arab Cup campaign was brought to a disappointing and premature conclusion as they suffered defeat at the hands of Group C winners Jordan at Al Bayt Stadium to exit the tournament without a win from their three matches.After a break-neck opening spell with both goalkeepers forced into smart saves, Jordan grabbed the lead as a slick move down the right flank ended with the ball breaking somewhat fortuitously to the onrushing Mohammad Abuhasheesh in the box and he calmly slotted beyond Mohamed Bassam.Jamal Sellami’s World Cup-bound side doubled their lead before the interval in superb style as Mohammad Abu Zraiq cut inside a defender on the right of the box before curling a sublime effort beyond the diving Bassam, with the ball kissing the inside of the post en route to the net.Jordan looked to have added a game-sealing third early in the second period, but Odeh Fakhoury’s cheeky dink over Bassam was ruled out for handball as he challenged Yassin Marei in the build-up after Nour Baniateyah’s booming clearance. Egypt were then inches away from reducing the deficit as Marwan Hamdy struck the base of the post from range.Al Nashama set the seal on their victory in added time, when Marei’s desperate last-ditch sliding tackle only succeeded in felling substitute Ali Olwan, who stepped up to score from the spot. United Arab Emirates 3-1 KuwaitYahya al-Ghassani scored two goals in as many minutes to help seal United Arab Emirates' passage into the quarter-finals as ten-man Kuwait bowed out in spirited fashion.UAE's fate was not in their hands but they knew they needed at least a victory to reach the knockout stages. They got off to the brightest of starts when they were awarded a penalty in the 16th minute after Ahmad Aldhefeery brought down al-Ghassani, who calmly converted his spot kick.Just two minutes later, al-Ghassani found the net again after Kuwait lost possession near their goal and, after some neat passing play, the 27-year-old winger slotted home in style.**media[391844]**Kuwait's hopes of a comeback suffered a serious setback early in the second half when Sultan al-Enezi was sent off for an off-the-ball incident with al-Ghassani. Despite being a man down, they gave themselves hope when Fahed al-Hajri headed in a deep inswinging free-kick from Mohammad Daham.UAE, however, quickly capitalised on their numerical advantage to retake the lead in style in the 66th minute when Nicolas Gimenez struck an emphatic effort from the edge of the area in one of the goals of the tournament so far. Algeria 2-0 IraqAlgeria headed into this section settler knowing that they needed just a point to secure passage to the knockouts but they ended up with all three after a tetchy, stop-start affair at the Khalifa International Stadium.Their cause was greatly aided after Iraq’s Hussein Ali saw red in just the fifth minute and they took the lead on the stroke of half-time as Redouane Berkane nodded a free-kick back across the face of goal where it was headed home by Mohamed Amine Tougai.Before the goal, Iraq had lost influential forward Mohanad Ali to injury and they struggled to cause any real threat to a Fennecs side that doubled the advantage shortly after the restart.**media[391845]**A teasing cross from the impressive Yacine Brahimi led to confusion between Iraq goalkeeper Fahad Talib and defender Saad Natiq with the former clattering the ball into the latter before it ricocheted into goal.Despite several missed chances from Algeria, that was the way that things finished, with the 2-0 win sending the Fennecs top of the section and booking a last eight date with United Arab Emirates, while Iraq will face Jordan. Bahrain 3-1 SudanBahrain ended their campaign on a positive note after defeating ten-man Sudan in a thrilling contest as both teams were eliminated following Algeria's victory.In a balanced opening half, Bahrain got the breakthrough when Abdulla Al Khalasi broke down the right flank and crossed the ball to Mahdi Abdouljabbar who finished with style.Sudan's comeback hopes then took a dent early in the second half when defender Mohamed Ahmed was given his marching orders after lashing out at Abdouljabbar off the ball.The Africans kept on pushing and levelled the scores courtesy of an own goal by Vincent Emmanuel as he tried to clear the ball under pressure from Yasir Mozamil.Bahrain retook the lead with a penalty after Mustafa Mohammed brought down Ali Madan in the area and substitute Mohamed al-Romaihi dispatched the spot kick. Mahdi Al Humaidan put the icing on the cake with a clinical strike just before the final whistle. 

Iraq will face Bahrain on Wednesday at Stadium 974 in a Group D match for the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025.Group D comprises of Iraq, Bahrain, Algeria, and Sudan.Iraq is the most decorated team in Arab Cup history by winning four titles: 1964, 1966, 1985, and 1988.Iraq enters the tournament with high morale after successfully qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 2026 play-off, where they will face the winner of the Bolivia-Suriname match in the World Cup play-off, which will be held between March 23-31 in Mexico.The winner will qualify for the 2026 World Cup finals, in which 48 teams will participate for the first time in the United States, Canada and Mexico.The FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 presents a great opportunity for Iraq to prepare for the World Cup play-off, taking advantage of the strong matches it will play in the tournament to enhance the harmony, understanding and readiness of its players for the decisive World Cup play-off.Iraq's national team is led by Australian coach Graham Arnold, who took over in May and aspires to make his mark in his first appearance in the Arab Cup.Meanwhile, Bahrain seeks to defend its chances in competing for the title of the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025, having been crowned winner of the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup earlier in the year in Kuwait.Iraq and Bahrain previously faced each other in the group stage during the previous edition of the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021. The match ended in a goalless draw.

His Excellency Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani met on Tuesday with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the sisterly Kingdom of Bahrain Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, who is visiting the country.The meeting addressed bilateral cooperation and ways to further strengthen and develop it, as well as a number of issues of mutual interest.

S&P Global Ratings downgraded Bahrain for the first time since 2017 as the Gulf country’s fiscal position deteriorates and debt levels rise. The sovereign credit rating was cut one level further into junk to B from B+ on Friday, with S&P analysts citing the small island nation’s fiscal struggles along with elevated indebtedness as the main catalysts behind the downgrade.It now shares similar ratings to Egypt and Kenya. Bahrain’s outlook was changed to stable from negative. Its creditworthiness assessment by S&P is now on par with Moody’s Investors Service and one notch lower than Fitch Ratings. “Bahrain’s debt will continue to rise against the backdrop of softer oil market dynamics and still-wide fiscal deficits,” S&P analysts said. Bahrain, the smallest of the six-nation Gulf Co-operation Council economies, has been grappling with wide budget deficits.Fitch this year turned its outlook on the Gulf state’s debt to negative, citing elevated indebtedness levels. In 2018, Bahrain received a $10bn aid package from states including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Under the assistance plan, the country said it was committed to keeping spending under control and envisaged a balanced budget by 2022.S&P said it expects the Gulf Cooperation Council states “will continue extending political, economic, and financial support to Bahrain if needed.” The country’s also rushed to bond markets this year, raising billions of dollars as a drop in Brent crude prices weighs further on its economy. “Bahrain’s economy and budget remain susceptible to oil price volatility, despite hydrocarbons representing only 15% of GDP,” according to S&P.

His Excellency Minister of Interior and Commander of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya), Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, met with the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the State of Qatar, Mohammed bin Ali Al Ghatam.During the meeting, they discussed several topics of common interest, as well as the cooperation relations between the two countries in the security field and ways to enhance and develop them.

King of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa received Wednesday HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, along with senior dignitaries and heads of delegations participating in the 3rd Asian Youth Games, currently being hosted by Bahrain.King Hamad warmly welcomed Sheikh Joaan and all distinguished guests, expressing his appreciation for their attendance at the Games and wishing them a pleasant stay in their second home, the Kingdom of Bahrain.In return, the senior guests and heads of delegations extended their sincere thanks and appreciation to the King for the generous hospitality and warm welcome they received. They also expressed their happiness to be in Bahrain and to participate in this major continental sporting event.

Barwa Real Estate Group has sold a land plot in Bahrain Bay, owned by GHIC Real Estate, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Barwa Real Estate.Under the agreement, the sale of the 12,478 sqm plot will be completed according to the terms set forth in the agreement, Barwa said in a mandatory regulatory filing with the Qatar Stock Exchange.This transaction is part of Barwa Real Estate’s strategy to optimise its portfolio performance and divest non-income-generating assets, positively affecting the group’s financial indicators and contributing to sustainable growth in shareholder returns."There are no conflicts of interest among the contracting parties in this agreement," the filing said.

Qatar’s golf stars, Daniel Sokolov and Saleh Al Kaabi, delivered remarkable performances at the Bahrain Open Golf Championship, which concluded on Saturday. The young talents continued their impressive form, with Daniel clinching second place and Al Kaabi securing third, marking yet another milestone achievement for Qatari golf.Despite being only 14 years old, Daniel displayed maturity beyond his years, showcasing confidence, precision, and composure throughout the tournament. He opened with an exceptional 65, followed by rounds of 70 and 76, finishing with a total of 211 strokes, five under par — an extraordinary result that earned him a well-deserved runner-up position.Meanwhile, Saleh Al Kaabi maintained a strong and consistent performance across his three rounds, carding 68, 72, and 72 for a total of 212 strokes, four under par, to claim third place overall. The championship title went to Malaysia’s Zubair Firdaus, who finished his rounds with a total of 209 strokes, edging Daniel by just two strokes after a tightly contested final day.This achievement reflects the Qatar Golf Association’s continuous efforts to develop and nurture local talent through advanced technical and training programs designed to prepare the next generation of golfers capable of competing at the highest regional and international levels. It also highlights the significant progress golf in Qatar has witnessed in recent years.Commenting on the team’s success, Fahad Nasser Al Naimi, Secretary General of the Qatar Golf Association and Head of the Qatari delegation, emphasized that the Bahrain Open is one of the region’s premier events, recognized by both the World and Arab Golf Rankings. He noted that these outstanding results are because of the QGA’s strategic plan to elevate players’ technical and mental capabilities through systematic development programs.Al Naimi added that Qatari golfers continue to lead the Arab rankings, thanks to structured planning, consistent effort, and unwavering institutional support. He reaffirmed the federation’s commitment to providing a comprehensive training environment that empowers young talents to represent Qatar in the best possible way on both regional and global stages.

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa of the sisterly Kingdom of Bahrain discussed relations between the two brotherly countries and means to boost them in various areas of cooperation. This came during a phone call His Highness the Amir received Wednesday from Bahraini king. The discussion also touched on the key regional and international developments of joint interest.