Business – PowerUp City Magazine

King Fahd Causeway Remains Open

PowerUpAdmin — Sun, 08 Mar 2026 07:34:04 +0000

If you’re planning to travel between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, here’s the good news: the King Fahd Causeway is fully open and operating normally.

Despite recent regional tensions and temporary changes to airspace across the Gulf, traffic across the Bahrain–Saudi bridge continues without disruption. Travelers moving in either direction are being processed smoothly at border checkpoints, and authorities say the route is functioning at full capacity.

For many residents, the causeway has become the most reliable way to travel between the two countries right now, especially as some flights across the region face delays or cancellations.

The 25-kilometre King Fahd Causeway, which connects Bahrain to Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, has been the main land link between the two countries since opening in 1986 and remains one of the busiest cross-border routes in the GCC.

What this means for travelers

Cross-border travel between Bahrain and Saudi is continuing as normal
Border processing and vehicle movement are running smoothly
The causeway remains a key alternative route while regional aviation adjusts

Bahrain Authorities Shut Down Shop Over Unjustified Price Increases

PowerUpAdmin — Sun, 08 Mar 2026 06:35:41 +0000

Authorities in Bahrain have ordered the closure of a food retail outlet after inspectors discovered that several products were being sold at inflated prices without valid justification.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the violations were identified during a market inspection carried out amid the country’s current exceptional circumstances. The business was found to have increased prices on a number of items in breach of Bahrain’s Consumer Protection Law No. 35 of 2012. The case has now been referred to the Public Prosecution for further legal proceedings.

Inspectors also reported that the shop failed to display prices on all items offered for sale, which is another violation of consumer protection regulations.

The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to protecting consumers and maintaining fair market practices, warning that strict legal action will be taken against businesses that attempt to exploit the situation or violate pricing regulations.

Gulf Air Offers Free Rebooking and Refunds for Flights Until March 21

PowerUpAdmin — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 08:17:45 +0000

Travel plans across the Gulf have been shifting quickly over the past week, and Bahrain’s national carrier Gulf Air has rolled out a flexible option for passengers whose trips may be affected.

The airline announced that travelers holding tickets with original travel dates until 21 March 2026 can either request a full refund or rebook their flights free of charge. The new travel window allows passengers to move their journeys to any Gulf Air-operated flight up to 15 May 2026.

The move comes as aviation across the Middle East continues to adjust to regional tensions and temporary airspace disruptions, which have forced airlines to modify schedules and offer flexible booking options to thousands of travelers.

How passengers can make changes

Passengers who booked directly with Gulf Air can manage their booking in two simple ways:

Rebooking: Call the airline’s global contact centre at +973 1737 3737.
Refund requests: Submit a request through the Gulf Air mobile app using the Manage My Booking section.

Travelers who booked through a travel agent should contact their agent directly to arrange either a rebooking or refund.

Keep your booking details updated

Gulf Air is also advising passengers to check that their contact details are updated in their reservations. This ensures that travelers receive real-time notifications about schedule changes, flight updates, or travel options.

For many passengers across the region, flexibility is becoming essential. Airlines throughout the Gulf have been introducing similar rebooking and refund options as the aviation industry adapts to changing airspace conditions and evolving travel plans.

Inside Manama Central Market: Government and Traders Team Up to Keep Shelves Stocked

PowerUpAdmin — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 08:04:19 +0000

Manama’s Central Market was the latest stop in a series of nationwide inspections as Bahrain moves to ensure that everyday essentials remain available and supply chains continue to run smoothly.

His Excellency Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce, visited the market to check on the availability of key goods and services and to assess how traders and suppliers are responding to the current regional developments.

During the visit, the Minister highlighted the importance of strong collaboration between the government and the private sector. The goal is straightforward: keep products available for citizens and residents while maintaining fair pricing and consistent quality across markets.

Inspection campaigns are currently being intensified across Bahrain. Authorities are monitoring stock levels, tracking prices, and ensuring that essential goods remain accessible to the public.

At the market, the Minister also met with traders and vendors, listening to their feedback and discussing operational challenges. He praised their responsible approach to maintaining price stability and continuing to supply goods without manipulation or hoarding during a sensitive period.

Officials reaffirmed that Bahrain’s supply situation remains stable. Strategic reserves of essential products are being reinforced, and services across the market ecosystem continue to operate efficiently—ensuring that businesses, suppliers, and consumers can rely on a steady flow of goods.

Bahrain International Circuit and Al Salam Bank Team Up in Major Multi-Year Partnership

PowerUpAdmin — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 10:59:57 +0000

Two of Bahrain’s most recognisable institutions are joining forces. Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) and Al Salam Bank have announced a new multi-year partnership, positioning the bank as both a Lead Partner and the Official Banking Partner of the circuit.

The agreement was formalised during a signing ceremony at the circuit in Sakhir, attended by BIC Chairman Arif Rahimi, BIC Chief Executive Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, and Al Salam Bank Group CEO Rafik Nayed, alongside senior representatives from both organisations.

A Strategic Partnership on a Global Stage

As part of the deal, Al Salam Bank will gain strong visibility across the circuit’s extensive events calendar. Bahrain International Circuit hosts more than 420 events each year, attracting motorsport fans, international teams, and visitors from across the world.

Through the partnership, the bank’s brand will feature prominently at the circuit, giving it exposure to millions of global viewers and race-day spectators, especially during major events such as the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix.

Beyond branding, Al Salam Bank will also become the circuit’s official banking provider, supporting operations through its range of financial products and banking services.

Engaging Fans Beyond the Track

The collaboration will also extend to fan experiences. Al Salam Bank will play a key role in the BIC Fan Village, a popular pre-race attraction held in the two weeks leading up to the Bahrain Grand Prix. The village draws tens of thousands of visitors, offering entertainment, activities, and a vibrant atmosphere ahead of race weekend.

For both organisations, the partnership is designed to create more opportunities to engage with fans, clients, and the wider community through one of Bahrain’s most iconic venues.

Supporting Bahrain’s Global Motorsport Presence

Bahrain International Circuit has been a central part of the country’s global sports profile since it hosted the first Formula 1 race in the Middle East in 2004, cementing Bahrain’s place on the international motorsport calendar.

With the addition of Al Salam Bank as a lead partner, the circuit continues to strengthen its network of strategic partners—supporting not only motorsport events but also tourism, international visibility, and the broader economic impact that major sporting events bring to the Kingdom.

DGC and BFLC Unite to Build One of Bahrain’s Largest F&B Platforms

Riza Castillo — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 04:02:33 +0000

Dividend Gate Capital and Bahrain Family Leisure Company formalize a landmark share-swap deal, creating one of Bahrain’s largest F&B platforms.

Seated (from left): Mohamed Khonji, Managing Director of Truffle Hospitality and Founder, Board Member and Managing Director of Dividend Gate Capital (DGC) and Managing Director of Truffle Hospitality, and Ahmed Janahi, Vice Chairman of Bahrain Family Leisure Company (BFLC), Group Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Hotels Group. Standing (from left): Bader Al Shaaban, General Manager of SoleCorp; Khaled Al Hammadi, Director of Truffle Hospitality and Founder, Board Member and CEO of DGC; Farooq AlKhaja, Board Member of Bahrain Family Leisure Company; and Ayman Gadallah, Head of Investment Banking at SICO.

A Defining Moment for the Kingdom’s Hospitality Sector

Bahrain’s food and beverage industry has always been fast-moving. New concepts emerge regularly, and competition keeps operators sharp.

This week, the focus shifted from momentum to structure.

At a signing ceremony at the Gulf Hotel, Dividend Gate Capital and Bahrain Family Leisure Company formalized a share-swap agreement that brings Truffle Hospitality Holding under BFLC’s listed framework. It is the first consolidation of its kind in Bahrain’s F&B sector at a public-company level.

The mechanics are financial. The implications are structural.

From Vision to Platform

Mohamed Khonji, Managing Director of Truffle Holding and Founder, Board Member and Managing Director of Dividend Gate Capital (DGC) answering media questions

Dividend Gate Capital entered hospitality through targeted investments in restaurant concepts with potential. Over time, those assets were consolidated under Truffle Hospitality, forming a centralized platform designed to manage operations cohesively and support scalable growth.

BFLC contributes a listed structure, an established presence in the Kingdom, and a shareholder base closely tied to Bahrain’s hospitality legacy, including Gulf Hotels Group.

Together, the platform will operate more than 20 brands across over 60 outlets in four GCC markets, generating annual revenues exceeding USD 20 million. The scale is significant, but the framework behind it is what positions it differently.

The agreement reflects a shift already taking shape across the sector. Growth remains essential, but resilience increasingly depends on coordination.

Bringing both portfolios under one listed entity introduces tighter governance, integrated systems, and shared operational oversight. Procurement gains leverage, and expansion becomes more deliberate.

The combined group also moves forward with a debt-free balance sheet, providing flexibility in an industry where margins can narrow quickly.

During the ceremony, Mohamed Khonji described Bahrain as one of the region’s most dynamic F&B markets and a testing ground for concepts with regional potential. That role continues. What evolves now is the operational structure supporting that ambition.

Creative energy built the market. Structure gives it staying power.

The Industry Levels Up

Bahrain’s dining scene has traditionally been driven by entrepreneurial ambition and distinctive brands. This consolidation introduces portfolio strategy as a parallel strength.

Subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals, Dividend Gate Capital will become the majority shareholder of BFLC, positioning the combined entity for regional expansion with greater clarity and scale.

The shift is steady rather than dramatic. Hospitality in Bahrain is becoming more organized and more aligned with institutional standards. That evolution influences how capital is deployed and how growth is managed.

Creativity remains central. The systems around it are strengthening.

Closing Perspective

In established markets, scale usually reflects planning rather than chance.

This agreement suggests Bahrain’s F&B sector is entering that stage. The market remains competitive and concept-driven, now supported by stronger coordination and financial clarity.

The significance extends beyond the ceremony. It signals direction.

The industry is building for longevity, and longevity in hospitality depends on thoughtful structure as much as ambition.

Vision Takes Shape in Real Time at Cityscape Bahrain 2025

PowerUpAdmin — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 15:37:15 +0000

The ORCHID Developers pavilion drew visitors into Cityscape 2025 with its striking tunnel of light, like a gateway to what Bahrain’s future looks like.

Inside Exhibition World Bahrain’s most ambitious real-estate showcase yet

Cityscape Bahrain 2025 transformed Exhibition World Bahrain into a living blueprint of the Kingdom’s future, an immersive corridor of light, scale models, architectural storytelling, and quiet conversations that will likely influence how Bahrain looks and lives in the decade ahead.

From the moment the doors opened, the energy inside the halls was unmistakable: developers, investors, architects, journalists, families, and curious visitors all drawn to the same question, What does the future of Bahrain look like?

Cityscape offered one clear answer: ambitious, elegant, and unapologetically forward-thinking.

The experience began with a striking sight, ORCHID Developers’ pavilion.
A tunnel of radial LED beams curved into a glowing entryway, creating the sensation of stepping through a portal. Inside, pristine models and warm-toned seating set the scene for conversations about luxury living and waterfront aspirations. The installation was created a visual impact that mirrored the company’s narrative of innovation meeting refinement.

Across the hall, BINAA (under Eagle Hills) constructed an architectural oasis.
A circular canopy floated above a marble-accented booth, ringed by palm trees and soft lighting, an intentional blend of modern real estate and natural tranquility. The design made the booth feel like an open-air majlis where ideas about community living and long-term development were exchanged with ease.

Bahrain Marina’s multi-level structure brought an entirely different rhythm.
Warm wood textures, aerial walkways, and lounge-style meeting spaces created a small architectural neighborhood within the event. The model of the marina development—sleek, bright, and expansive—captured the buzz of a coastal lifestyle Bahrain is increasingly carving out for itself.

Further in, the Catamaran / Veranda tower display stood sharp and vertical, offering a glimpse of high-rise living anchored in clean lines and urban efficiency. Nearby, Reef Island’s upcoming beachfront development drew attention for its mix of modern geometry and island-style serenity.

And dominating one side of the exhibition space was Infracorp’s sweeping LED wall.
The massive digital display, alive with changing visuals. It acted as both a beacon and a backdrop, reflecting the company’s ethos, scale, progress, and the merging of real estate with tech-driven solutions.

Even lifestyle media had its place.
The Life N Style magazine booth with its glossy covers and minimalist stand offered a cultural pause between the futurist displays, a reminder that development includes lifestyles and stories created within them.

In quieter corners, the Golden Residency booth invited long conversations about belonging, investment pathways, and the concept of “home” as both a place and an opportunity.

Every booth carried a narrative of Bahrain’s aspirations, told through materials, lighting, architecture, and dialogue.

A Clear Look at the Ideas Shaping Bahrain’s Next Chapter

The conference sessions from November 25-29, reinforced what the exhibition floor reflected so vividly.
Speakers from regulatory bodies, developers, and urban planning authorities echoed a shared commitment to transparency, resilience, sustainability, and intelligent growth.

A recurring takeaway from the talks:
Real estate in Bahrain is shifting from expansion to intention.
It’s no longer about building more, but building better—with communities in mind, with digital transformation in place, and with sustainability woven into every decision.

One speaker emphasized the importance of “regulations are not limitations but empowerment that comes with accountability” setting the tone for how Bahrain aims to attract global investment while protecting citizens and ensuring long-term stability in the housing market.

Another highlighted the Kingdom’s urban mission, to create spaces that are livable, smart, culturally rooted, and globally competitive.

This alignment of message and execution was evident everywhere.
The booths are filled with walkable communities, clever zoning strategies, young families’ needs, and future-proofed neighborhoods.

Cityscape’s vision was to showcase Bahrain as a destination where innovation, community, and luxury can coexist seamlessly. That was represented well at the event.

The event succeeded in turning strategy into spectacle, ideals into experiences, and vision into conversations that felt genuinely impactful. Living its mission to connect developers, policymakers, investors, and residents.

More Than an Exhibition

What made this year’s edition stand out was the cohesion. Every booth, every talk, every interaction fed into a unified message:

Bahrain is building a future that is intentional, connected, and beautifully designed.

Cityscape 2025 displayed what’s coming. More importantly, it made you feel, through architecture, storytelling, and sheer ambition, what Bahrain is becoming.

Edge of Possibility: HH Shaikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa Ignites The Stage at TEDxDILMUN

PowerUpAdmin — Sat, 29 Nov 2025 11:42:55 +0000

On November 22, 2025, the Kingdom of Bahrain hosted its first-ever edition of TEDxDilmun, transforming the grand halls of Raffles Al Areen Palace in Zallaq into an arena of ideas, curiosity, and electric energy. Under the theme “EDGE: Explore, Discover, Grow, Engage,” the event gathered influential voices from Bahrain, the region, and across the world and no moment was more anticipated than the arrival of His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, keynote speaker and a figure whose philosophy of discipline, endurance, and leadership has resonated far beyond the kingdom’s borders .

You can feel the instant shift as he stepped on the stage. The crowd leaned in, phones lowered, conversations paused. Everyone’s anticipation was not wasted as he began with humor, teasing the organizers for telling him the theme was “endurance” and joking that he came prepared for a treadmill challenge instead of a talk. The audience erupted in laughter, the perfect icebreaker for what would become one of the event’s most impactful sessions.

Beneath the humor, his message carried weight.

The Power of Doing Something Hard on Purpose

Shaikh Nasser shared stories of people coming to him for advice and how he always asks the same question:
“When was the last time you did something hard on purpose?”

From that single question, he explained, you can understand a person’s resilience, drive, and readiness to grow. It was a powerful moment in the room, a collective pause as everyone privately measured themselves against that question. His message was clear, growth demands discomfort. Purpose requires sacrifice. Success is built in silence.

The Audience Exercise: A Glimpse Into the Next Five Years

Midway through his talk, he shifted gears and invited the audience into a guided visualization.
“Close your eyes,” he said, “and imagine yourself in five years without quitting anything you wanted to achieve.”

The hall fell silent. Eyes shut. Breath held.

Then he asked for a show of hands from those who saw that version of themselves clearly. Hands rose across the room before he delivered the reality check, that vision disappears every morning at 5 a.m. if you don’t wake up early enough to chase it.

It was sharp, honest, and unforgettable.

Near the peak of his speech, His Highness revealed a non-mathematical formula he created as a blueprint for personal evolution:

Effort × Consistency × Purpose = Transformation

In that moment, it felt like the unifying thread of his entire message.

Effort means pushing through discomfort
Consistency means showing up every day
Purpose means knowing your why

He asked the audience to identify which variable they were weakest in. From the quiet nods in the room, it was clear the formula struck home.

Noise, Sacrifice, and the Attitude That Wins Championships

Shaikh Nasser spoke candidly about the “noise” that surrounds ambitious people, doubt, fear, opinions, comparisons. He urged everyone to eliminate that noise, especially at the very beginning of any journey, which he described as the hardest, most fragile stage of all.

He spoke about sacrifice, the unseen hours, the silent battles, the discomfort no one applauds. He shared his world championship victories, not as boasts, but as examples of how dedication pushes a person beyond limits the world assumes they have.

Beyond winning, his journey was a proof that attitude decides outcomes.
“Point to yourself,” he told us, and the room did exactly that.
“You are the one who makes yourself from inside.”

It was a moment of collective grounding.

Resilience Over Deterrence as the National Lesson and Personal Mandate

Shaikh Nasser extended his message beyond individuals to nations, explaining how countries that choose resilience over deterrence shape the future. Adaptability, readiness, and silent preparation, these, he said, are the qualities that will define the next 20 years, especially in a world dominated by data, cyber resilience, and AI.

His parallel was unmistakable:
The same principles that shape a strong nation shape a strong individual.

Leaving the Room Changed

Just before leaving the stage, His Highness led the room through one final exercise. A simple gesture with a powerful meaning.

He asked everyone to label themselves and delete it. Simple but a gesture that made each one in the room realize that the only person making it impossible for them to achieve a goal is themselves. A challenge was then left to everyone, to do something about our ‘impossible’ in the next 72 hours.

The finale was designed to echo inward. No theatrics, no exaggerated motivation, just truth rooted in discipline, sacrifice, and relentless commitment.

As people rose to their feet, applauding, many of us exchanged glances that said the same thing, TEDxDilmun’s first edition shifted mindsets.

And on that stage in Zallaq, HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa demonstrated what transformation is.