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Bahrain

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Bahrain. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Manama

Head of State

King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

Head of Government

Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa

Premier Li Qiang (centre) speaks during the Asean-GCC-China summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

China-Middle East relations

China offers visa-free travel to 4 Gulf countries following landmark meeting

Passport holders from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain will be allowed to stay for up to 30 days under year-long trial policy.

28 May 2025 - 8:15PMvideocam

Israel-Gaza war

Arab leaders meet to craft counter to Trump’s Gaza plan

22 Feb 2025 - 12:37PMvideocam

Fifa

Bahrain concerns taken ‘seriously’ after death threats since Indonesia game

19 Oct 2024 - 4:16AM

China-Middle East relations

President Xi to welcome Arab state leaders, with Palestine and trade on agenda

Leaders of Egypt, Bahrain, Tunisia and UAE to visit Beijing for meetings with Xi and ministerial conference of China-Arab States Cooperation Forum

27 May 2024 - 8:16PMvideocam

The Israel-Gaza war will be discussed when Arab state leaders visit China this week. Photo: EPA-EFE

Middle East

Opinion | Why can’t US and China jointly seek Middle East peace and still compete?

Although they support rival camps and pursue divergent geopolitical games, the US and China are also working for the same thing: the region’s security and stability.

25 Apr 2024 - 10:56AMvideocam

Middle East

Kuwait’s emir Sheikh Nawaf laid to rest in low-key funeral

Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah, 86, died on Saturday. Foreign leaders and envoys paid their final respects, including the Saudi crown prince and the rulers of Bahrain, Qatar and Jordan.

18 Dec 2023 - 1:05AM

Israel-Gaza war

‘Peace only on paper’: Gaza war sharpens Arab world’s grievances against Israel

From Egypt to the Gulf, a growing outcry at Israel’s collective punishment of Palestinians has left many feeling ‘frustrated and depressed’, as their leaders’ actions fail to reflect public perceptions of the war.

11 Nov 2023 - 11:30AM

Protesters on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing with Gaza hold placards denouncing the killing of civilians during a rally at the site last month. Photo: AFP

Cricket Hong Kong

Hong Kong beat Bahrain in T20 opener to answer new cricket coach’s call

First outing under Simon Willis in the APC Group T20I series in Mong Kok reveals some of the ‘effort, commitment and character’ he had requested.

8 Mar 2023 - 7:41PM

Formula One (F1)

F1: Verstappen wins, Alonso rolls back the years in Bahrain

Former two-time champion Fernando Alonso seals stunning third place on debut for Aston Martin in Sunday’s Formula One season opener.

6 Mar 2023 - 10:14AM

Formula One (F1)

Zhou ‘ready for new season’ after edging world champion Verstappen in F1 testing

China’s Zhou Guanyu finishes his final run of testing in Bahrain and says ‘it feels nice’ to see his name and Alfa Romeo on top of the timing sheets.

25 Feb 2023 - 9:43AM

China’s Zhou Guanyu
of Alfa Romeo in action during Formula One testing in Bahrain. Photo: DPA

Cricket Hong Kong

Hong Kong to host T20 tournament, will play Malaysia, Bahrain, Kuwait

Quadrangular series to be held at Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground from March 8 to 12, and for some players it will be the first time they have represented the city on home soil.

22 Feb 2023 - 6:04PM

Hong Kong celebrate the wicket of Pakistan’s Babar Azam during their Asia Cup match in Sharjah on September 2, 2022. Photo: AP

Middle East

Israeli president Isaac Herzog touts business ties on first Bahrain visit

Herzog’s trip is the first visit by an Israeli head of state to the Gulf state since the countries forged ties two years ago.

5 Dec 2022 - 4:44AM

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong finance chief to lead delegation to Bahrain and Saudi Arabia

Choice of region deliberate given US-China geopolitical rivalry and sanctions on officials.

21 Oct 2022 - 9:24PMvideocam

Formula One (F1)

Point-winning F1 debut shows ‘I deserve to be here’ roars emotional Zhou Guanyu

Alf Romeo Racing Orlen’s Chinese driver left ‘speechless’ by 10th-place finish at Bahrain Grand Prix. A ‘shocked’ Zhou took to Twitter immediately to ask ‘what just happened,’ after making history at season-opener.

21 Mar 2022 - 2:01PM

Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu (right) chats with his team after the Bahrain Grand Prix. Photo: Xinhua

Formula One (F1)

China’s Zhou Guanyu keen to temper expectations ahead of F1 debut in Bahrain

Alfa Romeo driver puts in solid performance in final testing ahead of next weekend’s season-opener, but says it will take several races for his full potential to become apparent.

28 Jul 2022 - 8:18PM

Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu in action during testing at the Bahrain International Circuit. Photo: Reuters

Royalty

Saudi prince sells US$165 million English country estate to King of Bahrain

The Glympton Park sale is one sign that wealthy buyers are looking outside London for holiday homes after the pandemic made living in the capital less attractive.

3 Apr 2021 - 1:53AM

Fifa

Opinion | Qatar 2022 and Bahrain F1 get political as sport answers back

Depth of ‘sportswashing’ means that there is no slow fix and criticism of Norway FA’s gesture and footballers misses the bigger picture.

29 Mar 2021 - 12:09PM

Formula One (F1)

China F1 hope Zhou happy with comeback F2 win

UNI-Virtuosi driver started in pole but was as low as sixth before late surge to take season opening feature race victory.

28 Mar 2021 - 8:27PM

Chinese UNI-Virtuosi Formula 2 driver Zhou Guanyu celebrates winning the first feature race of the 2021 season at rhe Bahrain International Circuit. Photo: Twitter/@Formula2

Formula One (F1)

China’s F1 hope Zhou takes first pole of F2 season in Bahrain

‘It was probably one of the greatest laps I’ve done in F2 Qualifying,’ Zhou Guanyu says after edging out Alpine Academy teammate Christian Lundgaard by three thousandths of a second.

28 Mar 2021 - 4:22PM

English Premier League

Hong Kong-era over as Wigan Athletic agree new owners

Deal with Bahrain-backed Phoenix 2021 expected to be completed by end of the month amid fan fury at former owner Stanley Choi’s claims.

16 Mar 2021 - 12:01PM

Coronavirus pandemic

Iranians query decision to host World Cup matches in Bahrain

Iran, along with Hong Kong, will play their remaining 2022 World Cup qualifiers in sweltering Bahrain.

14 Mar 2021 - 2:06PM

Iran have spoken out against plans for them to play their World Cup qualifying matches in Bahrain. Photo: EPA

Coronavirus pandemic

Bahrain grants emergency use for Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine

Bahrain had already granted emergency-use authorisation for a Chinese vaccine made by Sinopharm.

5 Dec 2020 - 8:47AM

The Crown Prince of Bahrain Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa receives a dose of the coronavirus vaccine developed by Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinopharm in Manama, Bahrain. Photo: Bahrain News Agency / AFP

Formula One (F1)

Lewis Hamilton to miss F1’s Bahrain Grand Prix with Covid-19

World champion isolating with mild symptoms, say Mercedes, after confirming positive test.

1 Dec 2020 - 5:45PM

Formula One (F1)

Haas driver Romain Grosjean escapes major crash at F1 Bahrain Grand Prix

According to reports Grosjean has been taken to hospital with a suspected rib fracture.

30 Nov 2020 - 12:41AM

Middle East

Bahrain’s crown prince becomes new prime minister after grand-uncle’s death

The late Sheikh Khalifa’s influence opened him up to accusations of corruption that came to the fore in the 2011 uprising.

16 Nov 2020 - 3:24PM

Bahraini Crown Prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa. Photo: AFP

Middle East

Bahrain’s PM, world’s longest-serving, dies after 50 years on job

Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa survived the 2011 Arab spring protests that demanded his ousting over corruption allegations, but died on Wednesday at a clinic in the US.

11 Nov 2020 - 5:28PM

Bahrain’s Prime Minister Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa pictured in 2002. Photo: Reuters

Israel

Israel establishes full ties with Bahrain and UAE at White House

Trump says similar US-brokered deals with several other countries coming ‘very, very soon’.

16 Sep 2020 - 8:10PM

Middle East

UAE and Bahrain have agreed deals with Israel. Is Saudi Arabia next?

Trump has portrayed himself as a peacemaker ahead of November elections. Saudi Arabia and Israel’s mutual fear of Iran may be a key driver for warming ties.

15 Sep 2020 - 8:00PM

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