LONDON // Formula One's governing body formally struck the Bahrain Grand Prix off the 2011 calendar on Wednesday and restored India's inaugural race to its original October 30 date.
The International Automobile Federation (FIA) said in a statement that a fax vote of its World Motor Sport Council had been unanimous in ratifying the calendar after recent controversy over attempts to reinstate Bahrain.
"The inaugural Indian Grand Prix will take place on October 30th...and the season will conclude in Brazil on November 27th, 2011," the FIA said. Bahrain was no longer listed.
The decision left the Formula One championship with 12 remaining races, after seven to date, and made sure the teams who had opposed any extension of the calendar into December, were listened to.
The latest FIA vote was little more than a formality after Bahrain had announced last week that it accepted the race could not go ahead and would no longer be seeking to host it.
Bahrain was originally scheduled as the March 13 season-opener but the race at Sakhir circuit had to be postponed due to civil unrest in the Gulf kingdom.
Formula One's commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone and the FIA gave the Bahraini authorities months to decide whether to seek reinstatement of the race, postponing the deadline to the start of June.
The decision this month to restore the race to the calendar, with Bahrain taking India's slot and the New Delhi race shifted to December 11, was also announced as unanimous but proved highly controversial.
While welcomed by the Bahrain authorities, that move was opposed by teams on logistical grounds.
The reinstatement also angered human rights campaigners, with one online petition against the race going ahead claiming more than 460,000 signatures.
Bahrain lifted emergency law only this month after crushing anti-government protests and tensions remain high.
The race remains on the FIA's provisional 2012 calendar as the March 11 season-opener, although one of the 21 races is expected to be dropped.
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The White Lotus: Season three
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Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
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At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5