Singapore - Singapore Exchange Limited (SGX) said it signed a consultancy agreement with the Bahrain Stock Exchange (BSE) on Monday.

SGX said its wholly owned subsidiary SGX-International would provide overall guidance on the management and operations of BSE through training and knowledge transfer which would help enhance the Manama-based bourse's competitiveness in the region by increasing its operational efficiency.

Bani Jamrah, Bahrain  - Clashes erupted Friday between Bahraini anti-riot police and protesters demanding the release of 40 detainees in the mainly Shiite village of Bani Jamarah, north of the capital Manama.

At least three people were injured, including an eight-year-old boy who was believed to have been hit in the left foot with a rubber bullet.

Unrest quickly spread to the villages of Sanabis and Daih, on the outskirts of Manama, and continued late into the night.

Manama, Bahrain - Relatives and supporters of three Bahraini detainees being held in Saudi Arabia on terrorism charges gathered in front of the UN House in Manama on Saturday to demand their immediate release.

The three include Abdulraheem al-Murbati, 47, who has spent more than six years in Saudi jails and former Guantanamo Bay detainee Abdulla Majid al-Nuaimi, 27, who was arrested recently as he attempted to enter Saudi Arabia.

Jid Hafs, Bahrain  - Three Bengali workers were killed in a fire that broke out early Friday in a two-storey residential building in the village of Jid Hafs on the outskirts of Bahrain's capital, M

Manama, Bahrain  - The US Navy 5th Fleet command in Bahrain an issued statement on Wednesday communicating a US Defence Department authorization for adult family members of servicemen to return to Bahrain.

According to the statement the return of adult family members for all Department of Defence personnel permanently assigned in Bahrain will be allowed effective immediately.

The decision marks a change to the Defence Department policy that had been in place since July 2004, when families were required to relocate following security concerns.

"We are extremely pleased with the policy change," said Vice Admiral Bill Gortney, Commander, US Naval Forces Central Command.

Manama, Bahrain  - The Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) has instructed Ithmaar Bank to postpone the hugely anticipated initial public offering (IPO) of real-estate developer Naseej, it has emerged on Tuesday.

The decision by the CBB, citing current market conditions as the reason behind its assessment, comes just over two weeks before the planned 18 November IPO launch date. Ithmaar Bank had been acting as the lead manager of the offering.

Chairman of Ithmaar Bank, Khalid Abdulla Janahi, announced plans two weeks ago to introduce the IPO, the largest to date to be launched from Bahrain, during a meeting of major Naseej shareholders.

The announcement was based on the fact that the underwriters had chosen to guarantee the full issue.