Latest news with #SpecialAdministrativeRegion
Daily Tribune
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Tribune
Shura committee reviews 17 draft laws
Seventeen draft laws, including changes to Bahrain's Penal Code and a set of international agreements, have been reviewed by the Shura Council's Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Committee. Chaired by Dr Ali bin Mohammed Al Rumaihi, the committee held 14 meetings during the third session of the sixth legislative term, covering legislation on criminal law, residency rules, traffic offences, and a range of foreign treaties. Three proposed amendments to the Penal Code were examined, including one to add a final paragraph to Article 107. The proposal came from five members: Nancy Dina Ely Khudori, Khalid Hussain Al Maskati, Redha Abdulla Faraj, Dr Abdulaziz Hassan Abul, and Dr Bassam Ismail Al Binmohammed. Other drafts sought to amend the 2017 law on alternative punishments, revise Article 56 of the 2014 Traffic Law, and add a new clause—Article 7 repeated—to the 1965 immigration and residency law. Each of these stemmed from proposals passed by the elected chamber. International agreements International agreements featured heavily on the agenda. The committee reviewed treaties with the UAE, Oman, South Korea, Kuwait, Hungary, and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. These covered tax arrangements, investment rules, and maritime cooperation. Bahrain will also join the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties and the 1949 Convention on Road Traffic. One item concerned the amended World Trade Organization protocol on fisheries support, which has now been added to the Marrakesh Agreement's annex. The committee gave it the green light. Still under review is a draft law to ratify the Makkah Agreement on anti-corruption cooperation among member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. It was referred to the committee after His Majesty the King ordered the close of the session.
HKFP
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- HKFP
Hong Kong's first giant panda twins named Jia Jia and De De, Ocean Park announces
Hong Kong's first-ever giant panda twins have received their official names, Ocean Park has announced, following a naming competition. The female cub is named Jia Jia while her brother is called De De, after a competition that, according to the park, drew more than 35,700 submissions from the public. The competition's judging panel considered the names to be 'highly meaningful,' Rosanna Law, the secretary for culture, sports and tourism, said on Tuesday. Jia Jia conveys the Chinese phrase of encouragement – 'add oil' – and is also a homophone of the Chinese character for 'family,' while De De means 'to succeed' and is also a homophone of the Chinese character for 'virtue,' Law added. The twins were born in August to mother Ying Ying and father Le Le, marking the first giant panda births in Hong Kong. Ying Ying and Le Le were both gifted by the central government to Hong Kong in 2007 ahead of the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Ying Ying gave birth to the twins one day before her 19th birthday. She was 'the oldest giant panda on record to have successfully given birth' as a first-time mother, the park said. The nine-month-old panda cubs are growing up 'strong and healthy,' Ocean Park said in a social media post on Tuesday, adding that they weighed 21 kilogrammes each. 'In recent weeks, they have even started mimicking their mother by nibbling on bamboo leaves, though they are not quite ready to eat them and still rely on milk,' the post read. Ocean Park is now home to six giant pandas – the twins, their parents, as well as new additions An An and Ke Ke, who arrived in October as gifts from Beijing. The park, which launched a number of panda-themed experiences in November, said it would 'capitalise on the presence of six giant pandas in the park to drive citywide excitement' this fiscal year. Opened in 1977, Ocean Park is Hong Kong's largest theme park. It also conducts animal conservation research and boasts around two dozen animal attractions, including an alligator marsh, aquariums, and an Arctic fox den. In November, the park announced a HK$71.6 million deficit in its latest fiscal year, despite recording the highest number of visitors in five years. The rise in visitors was driven by non-local visitors, with tourists from mainland China almost quadrupling while those from India and the Philippines increased by more than three and five times, respectively. But at the same time, the park's operating costs increased 17 per cent compared with the previous year, with spending on conservation and education comprising almost 30 per cent of this.
Kuwait Times
15-05-2025
- Business
- Kuwait Times
Bader Al-Kharafi meets Hong Kong Chief, backs Amir's digital hub vision
KUWAIT: Zain Vice Chairman and Group CEO Bader Al-Kharafi meets Hong Kong SAR Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu. KUWAIT: Bader Nasser Al-Kharafi, Zain Vice Chairman and Group CEO, welcomed John Lee Ka-chiu, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, to Zain's headquarters as part of his official visit to Kuwait. Lee was accompanied by a high-level delegation from Hong Kong and China during his visit to Zain, which came as part of his wider visit to Kuwait from May 13-14. His visit included meetings with HH the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Acting Prime Minister Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef Al-Sabah and other senior government officials. Bader Al-Kharafi stated: 'We are committed to implementing the directives of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to advance Kuwait's transformation into a regional hub for the digital economy and create an attractive environment for investment led by the private sector. This visit aligns with that wise vision, as Kuwait and Hong Kong enjoy longstanding friendly relations.' Al-Kharafi welcomed the Chief Executive and his accompanying delegation. 'The two regions collaborate across various investment, trade, and economic fields at both governmental and private sector levels. This visit presents an opportunity to expand those horizons.' He added: 'Our discussions with Chief Executive John Lee and his delegation explored ways to expand digital transformation initiatives, enhance telecom infrastructure, drive business growth, and explore opportunities for collaboration in 5G networks, the Internet of Things and potential strategic partnerships.' (See Page 3)
Kuwait News Agency
14-05-2025
- Business
- Kuwait News Agency
Zain eager to implement Amir's directives to turn Kuwait into regional hub for digital economy
KUWAIT, May 14 (KUNA) -- Zain Vice Chairman and Group CEO Bader Nasser Al-Kharafi affirmed his company's commitment to put in place His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah's directives to turn Kuwait into a regional hub for digital economy. "We are committed to implementing the directives of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to advance Kuwait's transformation into a regional hub for the digital economy and create an attractive environment for investment led by the private sector," Al-Kharafi said during his reception of an official delegation from Hong Kong and China. "This visit aligns with that wise vision, as Kuwait and Hong Kong enjoy longstanding friendly relations." Al-Kharafi welcomed the delegation, adding: "The two regions collaborate across various investment, trade, and economic fields at both governmental and private sector levels. This visit presents an opportunity to expand those horizons." "Hong Kong has long been recognized as one of the world's most important international financial centers. Thanks to its strategic location, advanced infrastructure, and favorable business environment, it stands as an ideal business hub. Moreover, it is a leader in innovation and among the top global centers for asset and cross-border wealth management." Al-Kharafi unveiled that their discussions with the delegation explored ways to expand digital transformation initiatives, enhance telecom infrastructure, drive business growth, and explore opportunities for collaboration in 5G networks, the Internet of Things, and potential strategic partnerships. "We also explored cutting-edge applications in ICT, digital innovation, and emerging technologies, and their impact on supporting digital economies. Hong Kong is one of the world's most service-oriented economies and is deeply involved in R&D, particularly in AI," he stated. The Hong Kong and China's delegation was headed by Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China John Lee Ka-chiu and included the Deputy Financial Secretary, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, the Commissioner for the Belt and Road Initiative, and the Director-General of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Dubai. It also included prominent business leaders, including the Chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, CEO of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, Chairwoman of the Belt and Road General Chamber of Commerce (Hong Kong), Vice Chairperson of Bank of Communications (Hong Kong), Managing Partner and Head of Capital Markets at Gaw Capital, and senior executives from Bank of China (Hong Kong) and various leading technology, financial, and consulting firms. The high-level delegation's visit to Kuwait included meetings with His Highness the Amir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, the Acting Prime Minister Sheikh Fahad Yousef Al-Sabah, and other senior government officials. Also in attendance today's meeting were Sheikh Dr. Basel Al-Sabah, Advisor in the Diwan of His Highness the Prime Minister; Dr. Peter Lam, Chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council; Nawaf Al-Gharabally, CEO of Zain Kuwait; and senior officials from both sides. (end)
Trade Arabia
21-03-2025
- Business
- Trade Arabia
HK investment deal to boost Bahrain financial sector
The Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement inked between the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will come into effect today (March 21). The agreement reflects the strong and growing ties between Bahrain and Hong Kong, particularly in the financial, economic, and investment sectors. It aims to create new and sustainable opportunities for cooperation and joint initiatives while reinforcing both sides' commitment to expanding investment prospects that support economic growth and prosperity, reported BNA. Nawaf Hashem Al Sadeh, Assistant Undersecretary for International Cooperation at the Ministry of Finance and National Economy, emphasised Bahrain's commitment to fostering international partnerships to attract foreign direct investment, encourage joint ventures, and create high-value opportunities for citizens. The ministry, he stated, actively facilitates investment agreements, with nearly 40 agreements signed to date, ensuring safeguards for investors, the free movement of capital, and the transfer of profits and returns in freely convertible currencies between the contracting states. Al Sadeh further highlighted that these agreements provide guarantees, including fair and prompt compensation for investors in cases of expropriation for the public interest, in accordance with established legal procedures.
