A nap after lunch boosts the brain's learning capacity

Posted Mon, 02/22/2010 - 10:03

London, Feb. 22 (BNA) Researchers have found that sleeping for an hour in the afternoon boosts brain power and dramatically increases its ability to learn new facts and tasks.

Over 50 Bahraini youth benefit from YAL's Summer Internship initiative

Posted Sun, 08/23/2009 - 12:45

The Bahrain Chapter of Young Arab Leaders has successfully completed the Steps to Success Programme.
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Shaikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalifa, Chairman of YAL Bahrain with YAL Bahrain members and participants of the programme.
The programme commenced on 27th June with over 50 final year university students and fresh graduates attending the five day workshop on soft skills training followed by a chance to compete for challenging internships in some of Bahrain's top companies.

Launched this year, the concept of the programme evolved when it was realised that companies are usually reluctant to hire fresh Bahraini graduates because of their lack of soft skills needed in the work place, as well as the inability to put their education into practice.

Students who successfully completed the workshop and internship were presented with certificates of appreciation by Shaikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalifa, Chairman of YAL Bahrain in an event recently held at the University of Bahrain Campus.
Read more

Zain Bahrain opens new doors for future Young Arab Leaders with summer internship program

Posted Sat, 08/15/2009 - 13:02

Zain Bahrain played a key role in the Young Arab Leaders' (YAL) 'Steps to Success' summer internship program by sponsoring a key part of the program and taking in a selected group of 6 final year Bahraini university students for a four-week on-job training program.
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YAL representatives.
The project marks the second time that Zain Bahrain has extended support to the YAL and underscores the telecom company's commitment to nation-building and empowering young people to make the most of their talent and opportunities.

The first step in the program was a workshop at the Zain e-learning Centre in the UOB for 100 final year university students and fresh graduates from areas of study ranging from business to engineering to media. This has then been taken forward with a 4-week internship that has been structured to give selected interns a holistic idea of what they should do to land a job. This includes research of the marketplace, interview tips, work ethics, team work, problem solving, personal productivity, communication skills, etc.

Mrs. Dana BuKhammas, Zain Bahrain's Human Resources Manager, said:Read more

Zain Bahrain Chairman announces investment in state-of-art LTE technology network upgrade

Posted Tue, 08/11/2009 - 12:39

Zain Bahrain, the Kingdom's leading telecoms operator has announced one of the most ambitious technology upgrades that will 'future proof' the company which is already a clear technology leader.
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Shaikh Ahmed Bin Ali Abdulla Al Khalifa.
Announcing the awarding of a Network Upgrade contract to Nokia Siemens Networks, Zain Bahrain Chairman Shaikh Ahmed Bin Ali Abdulla Al Khalifa said the upgrade would enable Zain Bahrain to serve more customers, improve its nation-wide coverage and deliver better products and services to its growing customer base.

'This investment in one of the most extensive technological upgrades is a clear indication of Zain Bahrain's commitment to the Kingdom and our leadership in the telecoms sector.' Read more

Tamkeen launches IT career path with Exceed IT Academy

Posted Mon, 08/10/2009 - 14:19

Tamkeen, in collaboration with Exceed IT Services, announced the launch of Exceed IT Academy Programme; a programme that is aimed at helping fresh Bahraini university graduates advance in their career by offering them a distinguished opportunity that will pave their path to success.

The programme is designed to blend theoretical training with hand-on practical experience to help university graduates bridge the gap between their academic learning and applicable work experience.

The program is set to kick off in August of this year starting with a batch of thirteen candidates. A new batch will start thereafter every three months until the completion of the program targeting 100 Bahraini Candidates.

Selected candidates will be enrolled in a one year full-time condensed training program. The tailored program is divided into multiple phases focused mainly on Microsoft Technologies. Candidates will complete several tracks in order to graduate with in-depth knowledge and work experience. In addition, candidates will gain a series of professional certificates based on the specialization they enter.

Successful candidates will be offered employment within Exceed IT Services with salaries depending on the specialization and level of graduation achieved.

'The program is an excellent opportunity for Bahraini fresh IT graduates. We are going to witness a big change in the IT world in Bahrain and we are glad that Exceed IT Academy is one of the first Pioneers to bring this change to the Kingdom,'Read more

US sues Kuwaiti financier over takeover hoaxes

Posted Fri, 07/24/2009 - 11:11

US securities regulators have sued a well-connected Kuwaiti financier whose investment firm is partly owned by Citigroup, saying he reaped millions in suspicious profits after “fraudulent” takeover reports sent shares of two US companies soaring.

The civil lawsuit against Hazem Khalid Al-Braikan is sure to send shockwaves through the Middle East investment community. Al-Braikan declined to comment when reached by telephone.

Al-Braikan is chief executive of Al-Raya Investment Company, which is 10 percent owned by Citigroup. A familiar figure at high-level Middle Eastern financial functions, he is considered a respected member of the Kuwaiti money management world.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission said in papers filed in Manhattan federal court that Al-Braikan and entities linked to him in Kuwait and Bahrain earned more than $5 million from well-timed trades in Harman International Industries and Textron.

In Washington, a top SEC enforcement division official, Scott Friestad, said: “This is pretty brazen misconduct.”

He said that an investigation began soon after learning about the takeover hoax on Monday at the same time as the markets and media outlets.

“We have had a team of six or seven people working around the clock for the last couple of days to gather evidence.”

The commission got an emergency court order on Thursday freezing the trading profits in various US accounts.

“Defendants engaged in a deceptive scheme to profit by trading around the fraudulent offers to acquire Harman International and Textron,” the SEC complaint said.

The defendants “profited from amassing large positions” in stocks and options in the two companies, the SEC papers said.Read more

Offshore Middle East announce conference programme

Posted Wed, 07/22/2009 - 12:48

The second annual Offshore Middle East conference and exhibition, hosted by Saudi Aramco, working with the event owner & producer, PennWell, has announced the conference programme for the event.

The event is held under the Patronage of H.E. Dr. Abdul-Hussain Bin Ali Mirza, Minister of Oil & Gas Affairs and Chairman of the National Oil & Gas Authority, Kingdom of Bahrain and will also see Mr Mirza providing a keynote address on the opening day.

Offshore Middle East will see Mr. Abdulla I. Al-Kubaisy, Manager Safaniya Offshore Producing Department, Saudi Aramco, chair the proceedings while Mr Fahad A. Al Moosa, VP of Northern Area Oil Operation, Offshore Operations, Saudi Aramco will provide an opening welcome.

The conference programme aims to deliver quality content with many leading industry speakers from the region and beyond. Session topics include Field Development & Management; Flow Assurance; Flowlines & Pipelines; Drilling; HSE; Subsea Technology & Mooring and Completions.

Industry speakers and their presentations include:

- Modeling Acid Effect on Pulsed Neutron Sigma Logging

Ali Al-Felasi, ADMA-OPCO, UAE

- Fuzzy-AHP-Based DSS for EPC Contractor Selection in Petrochemicals Projects

Mohamed Salah-eldin, Sidpec, Egypt

-Upgrade of Gas Compressor Antisurge Control System to Handle Changes in Gas Molecular Weights and Achieve Full Auto Control

Mohd Ali Al-azba, Qatar Petroleum, Qatar

-Preventing/Minimizing Deposit/Sludge problems @ Surface/Sub-surface Facilities by Utilizing Proper/Compatible Chemicals/Fluids in Oil & Gas OperationsRead more

CBB introduces minimum standards for insurance representatives

Posted Mon, 07/20/2009 - 15:03

The Central Bank of Bahrain announced today the issuing of a resolution to strengthen the insurance regulations for the insurance market in Bahrain.

Representatives of insurance companies will need a minimum qualification to practice in Bahrain.

The CBB is the first regulator in the Middle East to introduce such requirements that will strengthen the public perception of the insurance market. To underpin this initiative, the BIBF and the CII worked together to introduce international recognized qualification with a regional emphasis.

Mr. Nader Al Mandeel, Director, Insurance Supervision Directorate, at the CBB, said:

'By introducing this ancillary profession, the CBB expect that the insurance market will grow many folds and the buying public can be assured that they are dealing with well trained and competent insurance representatives.'Read more

Ahlia University selects SunGard Higher Education to help create a unified digital campus

Posted Mon, 07/20/2009 - 13:11

Ahlia University, Bahrain’s first private university, is poised to create the country’s first Unified Digital Campus with the help of SunGard Higher Education, a global provider of software solutions for higher education institutions.
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Professor Abdulla Al-Hawaj, President, Ahlia University Mathew Boice, general manager, EMEA, SunGard Higher Education Chris Howgego Senior Vice President, International SunGard Higher Education.
The solution, PowerCAMPUS Unified Digital Campus (UDC), will help Ahlia University achieve new benchmarks for quality assurance assessment in Bahrain by providing resources for teaching and learning.

Professor Abdulla Al-Hawaj, President, Ahlia University, said:

“As a fast-growing institution with ambitious goals, Ahlia University is always keen to benchmark its processes against regional and global best practices in higher education. We are seeking to dynamically embrace ways that will help us improve and sustain the best possible educational quality learning outcomes for our students. PowerCAMPUS UDC will help provide an environment that will move us closer to our vision of becoming a major centre of academic excellence.”

Read more

KFH-Bahrain launches the 4th annual Bahrain Sophia Antipolis Mentorship programme

Posted Sat, 07/18/2009 - 12:33

Underscoring their commitment to enhancing opportunities for Bahraini students, KFH-Bahrain in association with InJaz Bahrain organises the 4th Annual Bahrain Sophia Antipolis Mentorship Programme.
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KFH-Bahrain launches the 4th annual Bahrain Sophia Antipolis Mentorship programme.
The Programme is a joint initiative between Kuwait Finance House-Bahrain, and InJaz Bahrain, a non-profit youth development and training organization. The Programme provides an opportunity for students to connect with mentors who are knowledgeable about the corporate world.

The idea is to ease the transition from academic knowledge to entrepreneurship spirit. This year KFH-Bahrain sends a group of ten Bahraini students on an intensive leadership training course to Sophia Antipolis Science and Technology Park located in the South of France, which is considered on of the largest and most important science and technology parks in Europe.

The students are selected by Injaz-Bahrain based on their academic excellence, distinctive scholastic track records, perfection of Arabic and English Languages, succeeding in personal interviews in addition to other criteria that ensure the readiness of the participants to attend this unique Programme.
Read more

Sylvan Learning opens first centers in Bahrain and Kuwait

Posted Thu, 07/16/2009 - 08:17

Sylvan Learning, Inc., North America's most recognized provider of supplemental education, announced today the opening of centers in Bahrain and Kuwait.

The Sylvan Learning center in Bahrain will open later this month and the Kuwait center will open in August.

These centers are part of a seven-area international agreement for widespread expansion of Sylvan Learning in the Middle East. In April 2009, Sylvan announced that Mohamed A. Dobashi, Associate Teaching Professor at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar and his various partners, purchased rights to open Sylvan Learning centers in two emirates (Abu Dhabi and Dubai) of the United Arab Emirates, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Sultanate of Oman, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of Qatar, the State of Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia -- a market size of approximately 120m people.

Dobashi plans to open a center in Abu Dhabi later this year and centers in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Oman next year, pending government approvals. Dobashi opened his first Sylvan Learning center in Qatar in 2007 and, most recently, Dubai and Al-Ieman (Qatar) in March 2009.

'We are providing a very important service to the people of the region. Although Sylvan is relatively new to the Middle East, our ability to deliver high quality, supplemental education programs to the people in the region will build Sylvan's reputation not only here, but around the globe. Quality will allow us to be successful and bridge an education gap this region is experiencing.'Read more

Bahrain bourse gains 1.41%

Posted Wed, 07/15/2009 - 14:52

Sylvan Learning, Inc., North America's most recognized provider of supplemental education, announced today the opening of centers in Bahrain and Kuwait.

The Sylvan Learning center in Bahrain will open later this month and the Kuwait center will open in August.

These centers are part of a seven-area international agreement for widespread expansion of Sylvan Learning in the Middle East. In April 2009, Sylvan announced that Mohamed A. Dobashi, Associate Teaching Professor at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar and his various partners, purchased rights to open Sylvan Learning centers in two emirates (Abu Dhabi and Dubai) of the United Arab Emirates, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Sultanate of Oman, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of Qatar, the State of Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia -- a market size of approximately 120m people.

Dobashi plans to open a center in Abu Dhabi later this year and centers in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Oman next year, pending government approvals. Dobashi opened his first Sylvan Learning center in Qatar in 2007 and, most recently, Dubai and Al-Ieman (Qatar) in March 2009.

'We are providing a very important service to the people of the region. Although Sylvan is relatively new to the Middle East, our ability to deliver high quality, supplemental education programs to the people in the region will build Sylvan's reputation not only here, but around the globe. Quality will allow us to be successful and bridge an education gap this region is experiencing.'Read more

OTech Imaging organizes another PACS/DICOM/HL7 workshop in Manama

Posted Wed, 07/15/2009 - 09:01

After a series of successful seminars in Dubai & Egypt, ICT for Health along with its US partners OTech Imaging is organizing another PACS/DICOM/HL7 Workshop in Manama, Bahrain from 1-5 Nov 2009.

The course is equally good for healthcare student to healthcare decision makers, PACS Admins, Health Ministries, CTOs, CIOs of the hospitals, Radiology departments, radiographic technicians, PACS Vendors etc.

About the Workshop:

The workshop is a typical example of blended learning because it uses books, self-paced CD's as well as face-to-face training. You will get a thorough understanding of all the aspects of a typical PACS System Administrator's job. In addition, one gains the technical background that allows one to do his or her job in a knowledgeable manner. Our seminars are limited with regard to the attendance and is very interactive with a great deal of hands-on throughout the week.

Detailed Learning Objectives:

Participants will understand the basic components of a Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS), the associated clinical workflow, and the technical aspects to exchange the image and information management information between digital modalities, PACS and Radiology Information Systems (RIS). This will allow the participants to perform PACS System Administration duties which include:

• Preserving the image and information integrity, including image quality.

• Managing the installation and/or enhancements of a PACS system.

• Continuously improving the system efficiency and integrity.
Read more

Mercedes sales rise 21% in Bahrain

Posted Wed, 07/15/2009 - 08:06

After a series of successful seminars in Dubai & Egypt, ICT for Health along with its US partners OTech Imaging is organizing another PACS/DICOM/HL7 Workshop in Manama, Bahrain from 1-5 Nov 2009.

The course is equally good for healthcare student to healthcare decision makers, PACS Admins, Health Ministries, CTOs, CIOs of the hospitals, Radiology departments, radiographic technicians, PACS Vendors etc.

About the Workshop:

The workshop is a typical example of blended learning because it uses books, self-paced CD's as well as face-to-face training. You will get a thorough understanding of all the aspects of a typical PACS System Administrator's job. In addition, one gains the technical background that allows one to do his or her job in a knowledgeable manner. Our seminars are limited with regard to the attendance and is very interactive with a great deal of hands-on throughout the week.

Detailed Learning Objectives:

Participants will understand the basic components of a Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS), the associated clinical workflow, and the technical aspects to exchange the image and information management information between digital modalities, PACS and Radiology Information Systems (RIS). This will allow the participants to perform PACS System Administration duties which include:

• Preserving the image and information integrity, including image quality.

• Managing the installation and/or enhancements of a PACS system.

• Continuously improving the system efficiency and integrity.
Read more

SHAIKH HUSAM MEETS KINGDOM UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT

Posted Tue, 07/07/2009 - 20:31

MANAMA, JULY 7 (BNA) SHAIKH HUSAM BIN ISA AL KHALIFA, THE ADVISOR TO PRIME MINISTER SHAIKH KHALIFA BIN SALMAN AL KHALIFA SAID THE VISION BEHIND THE INCEPTION OF THE BAHRAIN CENTER OF EXCELLENCE WAS MEANT TO ENCOURAGE CREARTIVITY, LEARNING, INVENTION AND EXCELLENCE.

YAL Bahrain launches the Steps to Success Programme

Posted Thu, 07/02/2009 - 08:54

The Bahrain Chapter of Young Arab Leaders has successfully launched their Steps to Success programme.

With almost 100 participants, the YAL Steps to Success programme officially began on Saturday, 27th June 2009.

This unique programme was aimed at creating an even plan for university students and fresh graduates to transition smoothly from student life to their professional lives and in the process gain the necessary skills for a successful career. This year the programme was sponsored by Zain Telecommunications.

The programme concept evolved when it was realised that companies are usually reluctant to hire fresh Bahraini graduates because of their lack of soft skills needed in the work place as well as the inability to put their education into practice. These graduates are usually unequipped to present themselves professionally through their CVs as well as interviews which don't usually make them the best candidates for job vacancies.

The Step To Success programme is a five day workshop on soft skills training followed by a chance to practice these skills through the four week internship students compete for.

The workshop is designed to cover three main aspects of building personal skills, job hunting/ presentation skills and career building skills. The workshop is using the unconventional approach to teach students lessons in critical thinking, team work, responsibility and leadership.
Read more

Black mark for ‘failing’ schools

Posted Tue, 06/30/2009 - 08:01

SEVERAL Bahrain schools and universities are failing their students, according to a government-approved report. Out of 20 public and private institutions reviewed, three were deemed “inadequate”, 13 “satisfactory” and four “good”, while none achieved the highest level possible. Two out of four higher education courses analysed also received “no confidence” judgements, with the other two courses receiving “limited confidence” rulings. Vocational institutions were also slammed in the nationwide evaluation scheme, with 50 per cent deemed “inadequate”. The revelations follow a Quality Assurance Authority for Education and Training (QAAET) report released yesterday during a Press conference at the Gulf Hotel. However, despite the results QAAET’s chairman and Prime Minister’s Court Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa remained optimistic and called for all organisations to intensify their efforts to improve services. “The results of the schools, vocational training institutions and higher education institutions reviews and results of the first national examinations were generally satisfactory,” he said. QAAET’s chief executive Dr Jawaher Al Mudhahki added it would take time for the positive effects of the authority to be seen. “If there was no indication that there was a need to take a look at current institutions to see how they could be improved then we would not have been commissioned,” she told the GDN. “We being here means the people in charge know that something needs to be improved and hopefully we will get to a point where progress is made.” Executive director of the national examinations unit Sylke Scheiner said that with the relative infancy of the QAAET, it was unsurprising that the results of the investigation had highlighted weaknesses in country’s educational system. Improvement “It’s probably fair to say that if you look at similar programmes in the international context this is normal,” she said.Read more

Media training for Bahrain’s police

Posted Fri, 06/26/2009 - 11:24

BAHRAIN’s police force has been getting lessons on opening up to the media.

Experts from the UK have just concluded a two-week media training course for 10 officers from the Interior Ministry.

They were drawn from various departments including the Coastguard, Customs, Public Security and Civil Defence.

Also joining them on the course were public relations officers from the Foreign Ministry, Health Ministry and the Electricity and Water Authority.

It indicates a significant shift in policy in dealing with the Press, which often relies on unnamed sources to obtain information.

UK-based National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) consultant and senior British journalist Mike Kenny helped deliver the course, which ended yesterday at the Gulf Hotel.

He admitted that police in Bahrain had to be more media-savvy and professional in keeping the media informed.

However, he added officers had been enthusiastic in learning the “tricks of the trade”.

“Bahrain recently approached the NPIA to train its force and we have started with this two-week course,” said Mr Kenny.

“Hopefully, there would be more such events in the future.”

The event, organised by the Interior Ministry in collaboration with NPIA, involved simulating real-life situations for participants and instructing them on how to act.

“It is not that the police force does not want to share the information, it is only that they lack a proper system,” he said.

Mr Kenny added it was in the force’s interest to divulge as much information as possible quickly in order to satisfy the media’s hunger for news.

“If the media get what they want immediately and with the minimum fuss, it would lead to a very healthy relationship between the two,” he said.

Information

The intention is to help Bahrain’s police force dispense correct information as soon as possible and with the minimum fuss.Read more

Ebrahim K. Kanoo trains the trainees

Posted Sun, 05/31/2009 - 08:55

Bahrain: Ebrahim Khalil Kanoo's Learning and Performance Management Department in association with (EMIC) consulting, organized a professional training course aimed to train the staff responsible for training in other divisions, the course was held at the company center and was attended by 22 employees.