F1 Logistics in Malaysia: Malaysia has set up two special committees to coordinate the Bahrain Gulf Air Grand Prix at Sepang (Oct 2-4), with a main committee led by the Chief Secretary to the Government and a technical committee at KBS level to track upgrades and FIA requirements; Sepang is expected to close to the public from Sept 7 for works and final testing. Regional Maritime Security: Saudi Arabia moved to formalise a multinational “Maritime Defense Coalition” after hosting talks with chiefs of staff from 43 countries and the EU, aiming to protect Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab shipping and counter threats to commercial vessels and energy tankers; 14 back the initiative, including Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. Corporate Governance & Women: Bahrain’s Supreme Council for Women backed efforts to expand women’s representation on public company boards through awareness and training with partners including the Central Bank, Bahrain Bourse and Tamkeen. Human Trafficking Compliance: Bahrain honoured Bapco Refining, Alba and Talabat with a private-sector best-practices award for anti-trafficking measures. Health Warning on Dieting: A Bahraini dietitian cautioned against dangerous crash diets, saying very low-calorie plans should only be used for specific medical cases under professional supervision. UEFA vs FIFA: UEFA voted to boycott all FIFA tournaments over FIFA’s plan to sell minority stakes in World Cup commercial operations, with AFC also condemning the lack of consultation. Fintech in Bahrain: stc pay Bahrain partnered with PayPal to enable seamless cross-border fund transfers via linked accounts.