Three initiatives have been launched by the United Nations Habitat office in Bahrain, in partnership with local entities, to save more than 250,000 cubic metres of water. The programme will include leak repairs in 250 households, distribution of efficient water fixtures through charities and the introduction of greywater recycling programmes at 50 mosques across the kingdom. “The project is part of a larger initiative to save water in Bahrain,” UN-Habitat Bahrain associate programme officer for architecture and urban planning Mohamed Dadabhai told the GDN. For more details, read today's GDN or visit our website www.gdnonline.com #gdnonline #bahrain

From the pool to the piste, Bahraini Olympian and former Arab champion swimmer Omar Yusuf Almalki is aiming to raise the kingdom’s flag high in a completely different way. Almalki’s world was once measured in split seconds and the crash of water. He stood proudly beneath the bright lights at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and heard Bahrain’s name echo through the aquatics arena. Today, however, the lane lines and starting blocks are far behind him, and his life is defined by the rhythmic clash of blades, the quick lunge of a fencer’s attack, and the determined eyes of two of his four young children: 11-year-old Moody and nine-year-old Abdulla, both of whom are aspiring fencers. Almalki left his career in swimming coaching not because the pool grew cold, but because his kids’ Olympic dreams burn hotter. Moody, a foil specialist, and Abdulla, an epee fencer, are not following in their father’s wake – they are carving their own path in the demanding world of fencing, and their father has vowed to walk every step beside them. “I have felt the weight of an entire nation’s hope – I want Moody and Abdulla to know that feeling,” Almalki told the GDN. “To hear the anthem play for them, to stand at the top.” It is a journey of transformation – from the fluid grace of the pool to the sharp precision of the piste. Almalki has poured his vast experience and discipline into fencing, designing training that pushes not just the body, but also the mind. For more details, read today's GDN or visit our website www.gdnonline.com #gdnonline #bahrain #fencing #sports

From sandals inspired by cabbage leaves to a tower of misshapen cat pillows, a new exhibition in Hangzhou is celebrating the weirdest and most aesthetically unappealing products available for sale online in China. The 'Era of Uglies Has Arrived' exhibition, organised for the first time this year by Alibaba-owned e-commerce giant Taobao, spotlights more than 300 products that have won or been shortlisted for the platform's annual Ugly Stuff Competition, also known as the Uglies Award. Yu Hu, project lead for the Uglies Award, said the Era of Uglies attracted more than 3,000 visitors a day during its run from late July to mid-August. "Ugly" products on Taobao have generated more than 100 million yuan ($13.94 million) in sales since 2020, according to Alibaba, with Yu estimating current growth rates for the sector in the "double or triple digits." Younger consumers are fuelling the popularity of these unprepossessing products because they want to express their individuality, Yu added. As the economy languishes, they are also looking for affordable luxuries, a phenomenon known as emotional consumption. For more details, read today's GDN or visit our website www.gdnonline.com #gdnonline #china #uglyexhibition

A worker at a famous fish restaurant, who killed one of his co-workers by bashing his head with a brick, has lost his chance at a retrial after not attending his court hearings. The High Criminal Court yesterday ruled to dismiss the objection that the 39-year-old Indian murderer had filed, thus upholding his 25-year prison sentence. The man refused to be brought to court from prison, even after being granted a second chance to defend himself since he did not appear at his initial trial. In June, the appellant was found guilty of premeditated murder when he killed his colleague Muhammad Yousaf Muhammad while the victim was in the middle of his afternoon prayers. For more details, read today's GDN or visit our website www.gdnonline.com #gdnonline #bahrain

A middle-aged serial thief, who has served multiple prison sentences, forcefully took the keys of a 21-year-old car and drove off with it, a court heard. The man from Muharraq is standing trial at the High Criminal Court for assault and robbery near a multi-storey hypermarket in Hajiyat. According to an employee of the hypermarket, who witnessed the incident, the 43-year-old Bahraini fled in the car, turning the steering wheel while wielding a knife and a screwdriver. For more details, read today's GDN or visit our website www.gdnonline.com #gdnonline #bahrain

A nostalgic trip through the GDN and Gulf Mirror archives #gdnonline #bahrain #archives

Kuwait has revoked the citizenship of nearly 50,000 people in a crackdown on illegal nationality claims, according to First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Shaikh Fahad Yousef Saud Al Sabah. The policy targets foreigners who illegally obtained Kuwaiti citizenship. The Supreme Committee for Kuwaiti Nationality, established over a year ago, examines cases to determine who has a legal claim to Kuwaiti nationality. In several cases, the names of those stripped of citizenship have been made public. The country does not allow dual nationality, meaning those who acquire Kuwaiti citizenship must renounce their original nationality. For more details, visit our website www.gdnonline.com #Kuwait #Citizenship

The National Plan for the Advancement of Bahraini Women 2025-2026, adopted by the Supreme Council for Women (SCW) chaired by Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, wife of His Majesty King Hamad, identifies four priority areas for the coming phase: family stability, decision-making, economic participation and quality of life. Each priority area includes initiatives distributed across five key pillars: policies, gender responsive budgeting, awareness and training, auditing and oversight and monitoring and evaluation. The family stability has been placed at the forefront of the plan to emphasise the importance of strengthening women’s role as active partners in building the nation, preserving national values and the authentic identity of the Bahraini family, and ensuring a stable family environment that enables women to balance their responsibilities within the family and society. The second priority, decision making, reflects the SCW’s commitment to upholding the principles of equal opportunities and gender balance to ensure the comprehensive empowerment of Bahraini women. This focus aims to increase women’s representation in leadership and influence roles across all sectors, thereby enhancing their contribution to national development and enabling them to make a tangible impact in leadership and decision making positions. For more details, read today's GDN or visit our website www.gdnonline.com #gdnonline #bahrain #women

A nostalgic trip through the GDN and Gulf Mirror archives #gdnonline #bahrain #archives

More than 20 years after Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis walked in each other’s shoes in a rambunctious remake of the wholesome 1976 family comedy, three generations experience an identity crisis in a rip-roaring sequel directed by Nisha Ganatra. By turns hilarious and heartfelt, Freakier Friday makes merry, as promised in the title, by magically transporting grandmother, daughter, granddaughter and high school frenemy into each other’s bodies during preparations for a wedding. Oscar winner Curtis has a blast poking fun at herself as she pretends a fashion-forward, self-obsessed, sardonic Gen Z – essentially Cher from Clueless – is trapped inside her character’s “decomposing” Baby Boomer body and is suddenly confronted with knees that pop, deep crevices in her face and an unreliable bladder. For more details visit our website www.gdnonline.com #review #gdnonline #movie #freakierfriday #LindsayLohan #Curtis #moviereview